In a historic move, the Central Bank of Saudi Arabia has announced that Hajj pilgrims can now use internationally issued bank cards for the first time during this year’s pilgrimage.

The new policy enables pilgrims to use local and international bank cards, including Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, Discover, American Express, and the Gulf Payment Co. Afaq network, for payments and cash withdrawals. This service is facilitated through Mada, the national payment system, which supports transactions via international payment networks.

In preparation for the influx of pilgrims, the central bank has distributed over 5 billion Saudi Riyals (Rs 1,11,35,46,63,350) in banknotes and coins to branches in Jeddah, Makkah, and Madinah. The bank is also closely monitoring daily cash flow within the Kingdom.

To further assist pilgrims, the central bank has provided 1,220 ATMs and point-of-sale terminals. Of these, 633 are in Makkah, 19 mobile devices are available at holy sites, and 568 are in Madinah.

This initiative aims to cater to the demands of pilgrims and facilitate smoother transactions during the Hajj season.