The most direct best places to spend crypto in Saudi Arabia are: hotels and accommodations booked through Travala.com using Bitcoin or USDT hundreds of Riyadh and Jeddah properties available.
Sotheby’s auction house in Diriyah, Riyadh accepted crypto for all lots at its 2025 inaugural Saudi auction.
Major Saudi retail brands including Noon, Jarir Bookstore, Lulu Hypermarket, Carrefour, Amazon.sa, STC, Tamimi Markets, Nahdi Pharmacies, and Careem.
Full guide based on category below.
The Honest Context You Need First
Here is the truth about crypto spending in Saudi Arabia in 2026: the country has 7.44 million crypto users and processed $47.1 billion in crypto transactions in 2024, a 154% year-on-year increase.
The market is real. The demand is real. The spending infrastructure, however, is still catching up. Most businesses in Saudi Arabia do not yet have a crypto payment terminal at the counter.
That is not unique to Saudi Arabia, it is true of most countries in the world. But there are genuine, verified places where your crypto works.
Some accept it directly. Others are reached through a one-step bridge (a gift card or a crypto-linked Visa card) that takes seconds and still lets you spend at the actual location you want to visit.
We have organised this guide into both categories, direct acceptance and bridged spending and been clear about which is which, so you know exactly what to expect before you arrive.
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Category 1 · Hotels & Accommodation
Book Hotels in Riyadh & Jeddah Directly with Bitcoin
Travala is a crypto-native travel platform that lists hundreds of hotels across Saudi Arabia — in Riyadh, Jeddah, Mecca, Medina, Dammam, and Abha.
You pay directly with cryptocurrency. No gift cards. No conversion step. Your crypto goes in, a confirmed hotel reservation comes out.
In Riyadh: Properties available include boutique hotels near the Kingdom Centre Tower, business hotels in Al Olaya district, and resort-style stays on the city outskirts.
The Nofa Riyadh Radisson Collection and a range of OYO-branded properties are listed.
In Jeddah: The Mövenpick Hotel Tahlia Jeddah, properties along the Corniche, and hundreds of other options from budget to five-star are bookable with BTC, ETH, USDT, or BNB.
Travala also integrates Booking.com’s full inventory, meaning any property listed on Booking.com in Saudi Arabia is bookable with crypto through Travala.
Supported crypto: Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), USDT, BNB, and over 50 other tokens. Travala also offers zero-fee Bitcoin and Ethereum booking options.
Category 2 · Luxury & Art
Sotheby’s Auction House — Diriyah, Riyadh
This is the most significant example of direct, physical crypto acceptance at a named location in Saudi Arabia and it happened at the highest level of the luxury market.
In February 2025, Sotheby’s held its inaugural auction in Saudi Arabia at Diriyah, just outside Riyadh making it the world’s first live sale of physical works to accept cryptocurrency as payment across all lots.
All 119 items were payable with crypto, through a payment processor supporting Bitcoin and Ethereum.
The auction raised $17.3 million, with crypto used for at least one confirmed high-value lot: Refik Anadol’s generative AI work, which sold for $960,000 paid in cryptocurrency.
Sotheby’s has since established a permanent office in Riyadh at the Al Faisaliah Tower, the country’s first skyscraper and returned to Saudi Arabia for a second auction in late 2025.
Upcoming Saudi auction schedules can be found at sothebys.com.
Who this is for: High-net-worth crypto holders looking to acquire art, luxury watches, jewellery, vintage cars, or sports memorabilia using digital assets.
This is the premium end of crypto spending in the Kingdom — and it is already established and operational.
Category 3 · Retail & Shopping
Major Saudi Retail Chains — In-Store & Online
Jarir Bookstore — 59 Branches Across Saudi Arabia
Jarir is Saudi Arabia’s most recognised electronics, books, and stationery retailer with 59 branches across the Kingdom and a full online store at jarir.com.
Buy a Jarir eGift card with Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT, USDC, Solana, or Binance Pay on Bitrefill. The card is emailed to you instantly and is redeemable in-store at any Jarir branch or online.
This is one of the best options for crypto-funded electronics purchases: phones, laptops, tablets, gaming equipment at a named Saudi retailer you can physically walk into.
Noon.com — Saudi Arabia’s Largest E-Commerce Platform
Noon is the Middle East’s largest e-commerce platform, with over 20 million products, same-day delivery across Riyadh, and delivery across the Kingdom.
Buy a Noon gift card with crypto on Bitrefill, top up your Noon wallet, and shop anything; electronics, fashion, groceries, baby products.
The gift card code is delivered digitally and redeemable at noon.com/saudi-en.
STC (Saudi Telecom) — Mobile Recharge & Services
STC is Saudi Arabia’s largest telecoms provider. You can top up your STC mobile balance or purchase STC services using crypto through Bitrefill.
This is particularly useful for expats and visitors who need to top up a Saudi SIM immediately on arrival without a bank transfer.
Bitrefill also supports eSIM purchases for Saudi Arabia directly with crypto, so you can have connectivity sorted before you land.
Category 4 · Grocery & Daily Spending
Supermarkets, Pharmacies & Food Delivery
Lulu Hypermarket — Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Mecca & Medina
Lulu Hypermarket is one of Saudi Arabia’s most widely used grocery and retail chains, with branches in all major cities.
It is especially popular with the expat community. Buy a Lulu eGift card with BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, Litecoin, Dogecoin, or Binance Pay on Bitrefill.
The card is valid for one-time purchase to full value across any Lulu KSA location. This is one of the most practical day-to-day crypto spending options for residents.
Careem — Rides & Food Delivery Across Saudi Cities
Careem is the dominant ride-hailing and food delivery app across Saudi Arabia covering Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Mecca, and Medina.
You can fund your Careem account using a Careem gift card purchased with crypto on Bitrefill.
This means you can pay for taxis from the airport, ride across Riyadh, or order food delivery to your hotel, all with crypto as the starting point.
Nahdi Pharmacies — 1,000+ Branches Kingdom-Wide
Nahdi Medical Company operates over 1,000 pharmacy branches across Saudi Arabia. the Kingdom’s largest pharmacy chain.
Gift cards are available on Bitrefill with crypto, redeemable in-store. For expats and visitors needing medications, health products, or personal care items, this is a practical and important spending option.
How to Spend Crypto Anywhere in Saudi Arabia — The UPay Card Method
The places listed above cover specific locations and platforms. But what about everywhere else, the restaurant you want to try in Riyadh, the petrol station, the mall in Jeddah, the small shop in Dammam?
This is where the UPay crypto card changes the picture entirely. It is a Visa-linked card loaded with your cryptocurrency.
When you pay at any Visa terminal in Saudi Arabia, your crypto is converted to SAR at the point of sale. The merchant sees a normal Visa payment. You spent your crypto.
Saudi Arabia processed 79% of retail transactions digitally, which means Visa terminals are effectively everywhere in formal retail.
- Download the UPay app and create your account. UPay supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT, and multiple other cryptocurrencies from one wallet
- Load your wallet by buying crypto in-app or transferring from an existing wallet. USDT is the most stable option for day-to-day Saudi spending, as it holds its SAR value without volatility exposure.
- Activate your UPay Visa card.This is the card that unlocks all of Saudi Arabia’s Visa-accepting merchant base, restaurants, malls, hotels, supermarkets, petrol stations, service providers.
- Tap or swipe at any Visa merchant. UPay converts your crypto to the SAR equivalent in real time. Instant. No merchant needs to know or accept crypto.
- Top up from the app anytime. Monitor your balance and add funds in seconds by buying or swapping crypto inside the app.
Tips For Spending Crypto in Saudi Arabia
Source: Freepik
Leverage Gift Cards for Online Shopping
Many Saudis convert their cryptocurrency into gift cards to shop at major online retailers.
Platforms like Bitrefill offer an easy way to purchase from Starbucks, Noon.com using Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. This method allows you to spend crypto without direct merchant acceptance.
Stay Informed on Legal Updates
Saudi Arabia’s stance on cryptocurrencies is evolving. While there are no explicit bans, authorities continue to issue warnings.
Keeping up with regulatory updates can help you make informed decisions and avoid potential pitfalls.
Use International Crypto Payment Solutions
While local businesses rarely accept crypto directly, some international platforms that ship to Saudi Arabia do.
Crypto payment gateways such as CoinPayments allow transactions with retailers that support digital currencies.
Consider businesses that accept crypto through these services for purchases like electronics, clothing, and services.
Be Cautious with Converting Crypto to Cash
Since banks do not support crypto transactions, withdrawing large sums of money from P2P transactions or informal exchanges can be risky.
If you need to convert crypto to fiat, opt for reputable platforms, and avoid suspicious traders to prevent fraud or legal issues.
Related: Best Places to Spend Crypto in Thailand
Conclusion
Right now, today, the best places to spend crypto in Saudi Arabia are real and accessible: hotels in Riyadh and Jeddah booked directly with Bitcoin on Travala, luxury auctions at Sotheby’s Diriyah, major retail chains.
You do not have to wait for Saudi merchants to individually adopt crypto payment terminals.
The UPay card means the best places to spend crypto in Saudi Arabia are not a short list, they are every restaurant, every mall, every hotel, and every petrol station that takes Visa. Which is almost everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Can I use crypto wallets like UPay to store and spend cryptocurrency in Saudi Arabia?
Yes, you can use crypto wallets like UPay to securely store and manage your cryptocurrencies in Saudi Arabia.
Are there any international retailers that accept crypto in Saudi Arabia?
Yes, while local businesses may not accept crypto, several international retailers that ship to Saudi Arabia do accept crypto payments through platforms like CoinPayments. This provides a workaround for those wanting to use their digital assets for global purchases.
