Instant Payments Now Permanent in Oman: How This Shift Benefits Your Business and Boosts Financial Efficiency
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman is experiencing a significant increase in the adoption of Instant Payment Systems (IPS) in 2025. The latest performance overview of national payment systems highlights that the volume of IPS transactions surged by 78 percent, rising from 105.937 million in 2024 to 188.502 million in 2025. Concurrently, the total value of these transactions grew by 71 percent, escalating from RO3.326 billion in 2024 to RO5.685 billion in 2025.
IPS facilitates real-time electronic fund transfers, enabling recipients to access funds within seconds through mobile applications and digital wallets. One notable segment of this growth is the Person-to-Business (P2B) payment, where consumers directly transact with merchants, vendors, or service providers using real-time payment methods such as QR codes or account-to-account transfers. The value of P2B payments also increased by over 70 percent during the same period.
The electronic payment system known as OmanNet allows merchants to instantly accept debit, credit, and digital wallet transactions in person, utilizing card readers or mobile devices. In 2025, the distribution of OmanNet channels showed that 86.61 percent were for Point of Sale (POS) systems, 9.60 percent for e-commerce, and 3.43 percent for ATM cash withdrawals. Notably, ATM withdrawals declined from 5.65 percent in 2024 to 3.43 percent in 2025.
POS card payments provide secure, in-person transactions, enabling customers to pay for goods and services using their debit or credit cards or digital wallets via NFC technology at terminals in physical stores.
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The surge in Instant Payment Systems (IPS) usage in Oman presents significant opportunities for businesses to enhance customer experiences through seamless transactions. As digital payments grow, companies must adapt their payment infrastructures and consider strategic investments in technology to leverage this trend. Smart investors and entrepreneurs should focus on developing services that cater to the increasing demand for quick, efficient payment solutions, positioning themselves at the forefront of Oman’s digital economy.
