BankDhofar Launches "Dhofar Pay" - Oman's First NFC-Based Mobile Payment Solution

BankDhofar has launched Dhofar Pay, a mobile payment solution that transforms NFC-enabled Android smartphones into contactless payment devices, marking a first for Oman's banking sector.

The service allows BankDhofar customers to add their debit cards to their Android devices and make secure tap-to-pay transactions at any contactless-enabled merchant terminal. Dhofar Pay uses Mastercard's tokenisation technology to replace card numbers with unique digital tokens during transactions, ensuring that sensitive card data is never transmitted to merchants.

The solution is fully integrated with BankDhofar's mobile banking app, allowing customers to provision their cards and manage payment settings without downloading a separate application. Users can activate the service through the app's settings and begin making contactless payments immediately.

BankDhofar said the launch responds to growing customer demand for mobile payment options in Oman, where smartphone penetration is high but mobile payment adoption has lagged behind neighbouring Gulf markets. The bank positioned Dhofar Pay as a step toward reducing cash dependency and modernising the country's retail payments landscape.

The NFC payment capability is currently limited to Android devices, which represent the majority of smartphones in use across Oman. BankDhofar said it is working on expanding support to additional platforms and card types.

Oman's Central Bank has been encouraging digital payment innovation as part of the country's broader economic diversification programme, and BankDhofar's launch aligns with national objectives to build a more digitally connected financial ecosystem.