TotalPay, the Indian-founded digital payments company headquartered in Dubai, has secured regulatory approval from the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) to operate as an Ecommerce Payment Technical Service Provider (PTSP) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — becoming the first Indian-founded payment gateway to earn such recognition in the Kingdom.
The landmark authorisation clears the path for TotalPay to formally launch its payment gateway and payment orchestration services in Saudi Arabia, one of the region’s fastest-growing digital economy markets, and deepens the company’s footprint across the Gulf Cooperation Council.
A Strategic Milestone in Regional Expansion
The SAMA approval represents more than a regulatory formality. It signals the maturation of TotalPay’s GCC strategy and places the company alongside a select group of licensed payment service providers operating in a Kingdom that is actively accelerating its digital transformation agenda under Vision 2030.
Saudi Arabia’s fintech sector has expanded rapidly in recent years, underpinned by progressive regulatory frameworks, high smartphone penetration, and strong government support for cashless payments. SAMA has been instrumental in shaping this environment, licensing a growing roster of payment companies to compete in what analysts regard as one of the most dynamic fintech markets in the Middle East.
TotalPay, founded in 2022, has already served more than 1,500 businesses and processed over $1 billion in transactions across the GCC and India. The Saudi approval adds significant strategic weight to that trajectory.
Founders Speak on the Achievement
Co-Founders Akif Mohsin and Rahim Pattarkadavan issued a joint statement underscoring both the team effort behind the approval and their confidence in the Saudi market’s potential.
“This is a proud milestone for TotalPay as we take the next step in our journey by expanding into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the founders said. “We are incredibly proud of our team, whose dedication, commitment, and relentless efforts made this achievement possible. We would also like to express our appreciation to the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) for its professionalism and guidance throughout the approval process.”
The statement reflects a broader acknowledgement within the fintech sector that regulatory engagement — particularly with bodies as rigorous as SAMA — demands sustained investment in compliance infrastructure and relationship-building.
What the Approval Enables
With PTSP status now confirmed, TotalPay is positioned to work directly with merchants, financial institutions, and technology partners within Saudi Arabia to facilitate seamless digital commerce. The company’s service portfolio encompasses payment gateway solutions that allow businesses to accept and manage online payments, and payment orchestration tools that optimise transaction routing, improve approval rates, and reduce payment failures.
For Saudi merchants — whether large retailers or growing e-commerce businesses — access to robust, internationally experienced payment technology providers is increasingly critical as consumer expectations for frictionless digital checkout continue to rise.
TotalPay’s expansion into the Kingdom is expected to introduce competitive new options to the Saudi payments ecosystem, particularly for businesses seeking technically sophisticated, cross-border-capable infrastructure.
GCC Presence and Growth Context
TotalPay’s Saudi clearance follows its already-established presence in the UAE, where the company built its regional base. With operations now extending formally into Saudi Arabia — the largest economy in the Arab world — the company is executing a GCC-wide growth strategy that mirrors the broader internationalisation of Indian fintech.
India’s fintech sector, having undergone rapid maturation over the past decade, has produced a number of companies now making substantive moves into the Gulf. The combination of India’s deep pool of payment technology expertise, the GCC’s expanding digital economy, and substantial commercial ties between the two regions has created fertile ground for this category of cross-border expansion.
TotalPay’s achievement is accordingly notable both as a corporate milestone and as a marker of a wider industry trend: Indian-origin fintech expertise increasingly finding regulatory acceptance and commercial opportunity in the Gulf’s key markets.
TotalPay is a Dubai-headquartered fintech company, founded in 2022 by Akif Mohsin and Rahim Pattarkadavan. The company provides digital payment gateway and payment orchestration solutions to businesses across the GCC and India. Having served more than 1,500 clients and processed over $1 billion in transactions, TotalPay focuses on delivering secure, reliable, and innovative payment technology that enables merchants, financial institutions, and technology partners to thrive in the digital economy. Its SAMA approval as an Ecommerce Payment Technical Service Provider marks its formal entry into the Saudi Arabian market.
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