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AMMAN — As Jordan accelerates its digital transformation and strengthens its position as a regional fintech hub, building consumer trust in online payments remains one of the most important challenges facing the sector, according to Mario Makary, Vice President and Levant Country Manager at Visa.
In an interview with The Jordan Times, Makary highlighted the critical role of cybersecurity, seamless payment experiences and mobile-first innovation in supporting the growth of Jordan's digital economy.
"Trust is the foundation of commerce, particularly for digital payments," Makary said. "If consumers perceive a website as unsafe, they won't proceed – indeed, 85 per cent of online shoppers in Jordan have avoided a site because they didn't trust it with their card details."
He noted that strengthening cybersecurity and building confidence in Jordan's digital payments ecosystem remains a top priority for Visa.
"We bring global scale to this challenge – connecting 175 million merchants worldwide (including 2.7 million in the North Africa, Levant and Pakistan region, which includes Jordan) – and pair that reach with robust security measures. Our systems analyze over nine billion security events each day to detect and neutralize threats in real time, ensuring every transaction on our network remains secure."
According to Makary, security alone is not enough to drive greater adoption of online commerce.
"According to Visa's Checkout Friction Report, strong security must go hand-in-hand with a seamless user experience to accelerate ecommerce growth," he said. "More than half of surveyed consumers said they would shop online more frequently if a universal streamlined checkout option were available."
Visa has sought to address these challenges through products such as Click to Pay, which simplifies online purchases while maintaining high security standards.
"Click to Pay securely stores card information and protects each transaction with Visa's advanced security measures, offering convenience and peace of mind," Makary said.
The full interview follows:
1- Consumer trust remains a major challenge, with many respondents avoiding websites they perceived as unsafe and others reporting fraud or phishing attempts. How is Visa working to strengthen cybersecurity and build greater confidence in Jordan's digital payments ecosystem?
Trust is the foundation of commerce, particularly for digital payments. If consumers perceive a website as unsafe, they won't proceed – indeed, 85 per cent of online shoppers in Jordan have avoided a site because they didn't trust it with their card details. Strengthening cybersecurity and building confidence in Jordan's digital payments ecosystem is a top priority for Visa. We bring global scale to this challenge – connecting 175 million merchants worldwide (including 2.7 million in the North Africa, Levant and Pakistan region, which includes Jordan) – and pair that reach with robust security measures. Our systems analyze over nine billion security events each day to detect and neutralize threats in real time, ensuring every transaction on our network remains secure.
According to Visa's Checkout Friction Report, strong security must go hand-in-hand with a seamless user experience to accelerate ecommerce growth. More than half of surveyed consumers said they would shop online more frequently if a universal streamlined checkout option were available. Visa tackles this friction with innovations like Click to Pay, which simplifies checkout by eliminating the need to re-enter card details on every site. Click to Pay securely stores card information and protects each transaction with Visa's advanced security measures, offering convenience and peace of mind.
In fact, 93 per cent of respondents said they would have greater confidence in online payments if they were secured by biometrics. Visa Payment Passkey addresses this need by enabling seamless, password-free biometric verification for online transactions – delivering exactly that enhanced protection. Security remains paramount for Jordan's online shoppers: 39 per cent cite it as the primary factor when choosing a payment method. By reducing checkout friction and embedding stronger security, Jordan's merchants, issuers and payment providers can unlock more ecommerce growth. In a mobile-first environment, trusted and seamless experiences improve conversion, reduce cart abandonment, and contribute to a more inclusive digital economy.
2- More than half of respondents said they would shop online more frequently if a universal one-click checkout option were available. How transformative could technologies such as Click to Pay be for Jordan's ecommerce and retail sectors?
Jordan's ecommerce sector is gaining momentum, with revenues reaching $229 million in 2025, and consumer appetite for online shopping continuing to grow. However, as highlighted in the Checkout Friction Report, growth is still constrained by friction in the checkout experience, which contributes to drop-off and abandoned purchases across the ecosystem.
The data clearly illustrates the challenge. Three-quarters (76 per cent) of shoppers have abandoned an online purchase due to security concerns, not having their card details readily available, or system errors. Re-entering card information remains a significant pain point, with 47 per cent of consumers describing it as a major hassle. Crucially, more than half of respondents said they would shop online more frequently if a universal, streamlined checkout option were available. This shows that the issue is not demand, but experience.
Technologies such as Click to Pay can be highly transformative for Jordan's ecommerce and retail sectors because they directly address these barriers. Click to Pay removes unnecessary complexity by offering a streamlined and secure guest checkout experience, eliminating the need for consumers to repeatedly enter their card details across different websites. At the same time, card information is stored safely and protected by Visa's advanced security measures, rather than with individual merchants.
By simplifying checkout while strengthening security, Click to Pay helps build the trust consumers need to engage more confidently in digital commerce. When shoppers feel protected and the experience is effortless, they are far more likely to complete transactions and shop online more frequently. For Jordan, this represents a meaningful opportunity to unlock the full potential of ecommerce, improve conversion rates for retailers, and support the continued evolution of a more trusted and resilient digital economy.
3. Jordanian consumers are increasingly mobile-first, with the vast majority preferring to shop via smartphones. How is this trend shaping Visa's strategy, partnerships, and investments in Jordan?
In Jordan, digital commerce is clearly mobile-first. Visa's Checkout Friction Report found that 79 per cent of Jordanians (nearly eight in ten) shop for groceries and beverages online each week, and an overwhelming 91 per cent prefer to make purchases via their smartphones. This mobile-led reality is directly shaping Visa's strategy, partnerships, and investments in Jordan. We've oriented our approach around delivering secure, seamless mobile payment experiences – recognizing that every transaction must be easy and trustworthy.
Ensuring digitally secure interactions is foundational. We also harness data-driven insights to anticipate market trends and tailor solutions for Jordanian consumers. Importantly, our focus aligns with national priorities: Jordan's government is committed to inclusive digital growth, ensuring all segments of society benefit from digital services, infrastructure, and opportunities to develop digital skills without discrimination. A recent survey by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship¹ showed that 97.5 per cent of Jordanian households now own at least one smartphone (up from 95.7 per cent in 2023), with near-universal ownership in Amman at 99 per cent. With virtually every household connected, the focus now is to turn that connectivity into safe, convenient commerce – a goal we advance by working closely with local partners across the ecosystem.
Visa's role in Jordan is underpinned by our heritage as a technology company that powers modern commerce. We helped pioneer many of the industry's foundational innovations – such as chip and tap cards, tokenization, and contactless payments – which are now standard worldwide. Today, as technologies like AI-driven commerce, real-time money movement, tokenization, and stablecoins converge to reshape the future of payments, we continue to focus on innovation and product development. This positions Visa to lead the next wave of transformation, ensuring Jordan's mobile-first consumers have secure, cutting-edge ways to transact.
4- Despite the growth of digital payments, cash-on-delivery continues to play a significant role in Jordan's ecommerce market. What are the key barriers still preventing wider adoption of cashless transactions in the Kingdom?
Although cash-on-delivery still features prominently in Jordan's ecommerce market, it isn't because consumers prefer cash per se – it's due to lingering issues of trust and convenience in digital payments. Visa's Checkout Friction Report confirms that concerns about security and friction in the online checkout process are the main barriers preventing wider cashless adoption. In fact, Jordan's digital economy is highly active: 79 per cent of surveyed consumers shop online every week and 91 per cent prefer to do so from their smartphones. This indicates strong latent demand for digital payments.
However, many shoppers encounter obstacles that can push them back toward cash-on-delivery. According to the report, 85 per cent of consumers have avoided certain websites because they didn't trust them with their card details, and 47 per cent find it a significant hassle to manually re-enter card information during checkout. This kind of friction has contributed to 76 per cent of online shoppers in Jordan abandoning a purchase at some point. Essentially, people aren't clinging to cash; they're pausing because of security worries or cumbersome processes in the digital journey.
Rather than truly preferring cash, Jordanian consumers are clearly signaling a demand for more secure and seamless digital payment solutions. Security is now a major deciding factor: 39 per cent of shoppers say protection is the primary driver for choosing a payment method, and a resounding 93 per cent would feel more confident using digital payments if they were secured by biometrics. These findings underscore a strong readiness in Jordan for trustworthy, frictionless cashless experiences. By addressing security concerns and simplifying checkout – as Click to Pay does – businesses and payment providers can empower more Jordanians to confidently embrace digital payments over cash.
5. Small and medium-sized enterprises are a key pillar of Jordan's economy. How can emerging payment technologies help SMEs and startups reduce cart abandonment, improve customer experience, and compete more effectively in the digital marketplace?
Small and medium-sized enterprises are the backbone of economies around the world, driving innovation, job creation, and inclusive growth. In Jordan, their role is especially critical, and enabling SMEs to succeed in the digital marketplace is closely aligned with national priorities. The government is focused on expanding digital infrastructure and connectivity, supporting startups and innovation ecosystems, promoting digital skills and entrepreneurship, and enhancing government digital services—all of which create strong momentum for SMEs to scale through digital commerce.
Yet, one of the biggest challenges holding local businesses back is cart abandonment. Visa's Checkout Friction Report reveals that 76 per cent of Jordanian shoppers have abandoned an online purchase. This drop-off is largely driven by friction and security concerns at checkout: 47 per cent of consumers cite re-entering card details as a significant pain point, while 85 per cent have avoided websites they do not trust with their payment information. For SMEs, these barriers directly impact revenue, customer retention, and their ability to compete effectively online.
Emerging payment technologies are designed to address these exact challenges. Solutions such as Click to Pay and biometric Visa Payment Passkeys streamline the mobile-first checkout experience—an essential advantage given that 91 per cent of shoppers in Jordan prefer to shop via their smartphones. By reducing manual steps and embedding strong security into the payment journey, these technologies help SMEs convert more shoppers while strengthening trust.
Beyond improving conversion rates, digital payments also bring operational benefits for SMEs. They provide better visibility over transactions, easier tracking and reconciliation, and stronger security than cash-based models. This translates into less manual handling, fewer risks associated with cash collection and delivery, and better records to support planning, inventory management, and growth. By making payments more seamless and secure, emerging payment technologies help SMEs reduce cart abandonment, enhance customer experience, and compete more effectively alongside larger players in Jordan's digital economy.
6. Jordan has been positioning itself as a regional hub for fintech and digital innovation. In your view, how important is improving digital payment infrastructure to supporting economic growth, financial inclusion, and entrepreneurship in the Kingdom?
Jordan has already established itself as a regional hub for fintech and digital innovation, and sustaining this leadership depends on continuously strengthening the digital payment infrastructure that underpins the economy. Much like a modern high-rise, a successful digital economy relies on strong foundations, resilient frameworks, and well-designed systems that allow every level to function efficiently and securely.
That foundation is firmly in place. With 96.5 per cent of Jordanian households connected to the internet, the country is highly prepared for digital commerce at scale. Building upward from this base, the Jordanian Digital Transformation Strategy and Implementation Plan (2026-2028) sets out a clear blueprint, identifying the modernization of digital infrastructure as a national priority to support long-term economic growth and innovation.
A robust digital payment infrastructure acts as the core framework of this structure, directly empowering entrepreneurs and startups. It lowers barriers to entry, enables SMEs to reach a wider consumer base instantly, reduces transaction costs, and improves cash flow. Just as efficient elevators and utilities allow a building to operate smoothly, modern payment rails allow businesses to scale faster and operate more competitively.
Trust and security are the safety systems that give people confidence to enter and transact within this digital environment. Secure, seamless checkout experiences are essential in a market where Visa's Checkout Friction Report shows that 85 per cent of shoppers avoid websites they do not trust. By embedding strong security into the payment journey, digital infrastructure helps reinforce confidence and supports sustained adoption of cashless commerce.
Finally, mobile-first payment solutions serve as accessible entry points that ensure the entire structure is inclusive. By integrating unbanked segments into the formal financial ecosystem, these solutions enable broader participation in the digital economy, unlocking more equitable economic growth and fostering grassroots innovation. In this way, continued investment in digital payment infrastructure is not just about efficiency—it is fundamental to maintaining Jordan's leadership in fintech, supporting entrepreneurship, and ensuring inclusive, sustainable growth.
7. Looking ahead, what role does Visa see Jordan playing in the future of ecommerce and digital payments in the Middle East, particularly as competition and innovation in the regional fintech sector continue to accelerate?
Jordan already stands as a regional hub for ecommerce and digital payments—a prominent presence on the Middle East's fintech landscape. Its influence far exceeds its size: about 27 per cent of tech entrepreneurs in the MENA are Jordanian, even though Jordan accounts for only 3 per cent of the region's population. Combined with a deeply digital-native, mobile-first society—where 91 per cent of consumers prefer shopping via mobile phones—this gives Jordan strong foundations and a flexible framework to test, refine, and scale next-generation payment solutions across the region.
Visa has helped build on this structure through targeted initiatives and partnerships. We brought the Visa Everywhere Initiative (VEI) to the Levant in partnership with the Central Bank of Jordan, and the response underscored Jordan's leadership: 61 of the 100 applications in the inaugural cohort came from Jordan. A standout success was GamerG, which won the Levant finals, the CEMEA finals, and the People's Favorite Award at the global finals—proof that Jordanian innovation can scale globally. Beyond VEI, Visa continues strengthening the framework through deep local partnerships, including an MoU with JoPACC to mentor startups in the JOIN Fincubator, sponsorship of Fintech Academy Jordan, and collaboration with the Institute of Banking Studies to support emerging entrepreneurs.
Looking ahead, Jordan is poised to be both a regional standard-setter and a launchpad for innovation across the Middle East. The Kingdom's regulatory progress—most notably the 2025 framework placing stablecoin activities under Central Bank oversight—creates room for programmable money to evolve responsibly, balancing innovation with trust and stability. As advanced technologies such as Click to Pay and Visa Payment Passkey are adopted, and as homegrown talent continues to be nurtured through ecosystem collaboration, Jordan is not just keeping pace with regional fintech momentum—it is helping design the blueprint for secure, inclusive digital commerce across the Middle East.
