Saudi E-Commerce Giant Salla Acquires Fintech Firm Paylink
The acquisition brings regulated payment infrastructure in-house, reducing merchant reliance on third-party providers.
Saudi Arabian e-commerce platform Salla has acquired Paylink, a licensed fintech company specializing in electronic payment solutions. The move integrates a regulated payment infrastructure directly into Salla's commerce ecosystem to streamline how merchants accept payments both online and offline.
Paylink, which was founded in 2017 by Ammar AlTwaijri and Abdulelah Alsayegh, operates under a license from the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and carries the 'Saudi Tech' label. While the financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, the integration will bring several technical capabilities to Salla's users, including SoftPOS technologies, multi-currency support, and international collection options.
Building a Commerce Ecosystem
Salla currently serves over 68,000 active stores, facilitating a total sales volume that exceeds 50 billion Saudi riyals. The company has shifted its strategy toward building a comprehensive "commerce operating system" for the MENA region, moving beyond simple storefronts to offer a full suite of business tools. This acquisition follows a pattern of strategic expansion; in 2025, Salla acquired the digital advertising platform Sweply, which was subsequently rebranded as Salla Ads.
Nawaf Hariri, Salla Founder and CEO, described the move into financial services as a "natural extension of the company’s existing vision."
The Shift to Fintech
By owning the payment layer, Salla is transitioning from a pure e-commerce platform into a combined commerce and fintech powerhouse. This vertical integration reduces the dependency of Saudi merchants on third-party payment gateways, which often introduce additional fees and technical friction. Furthermore, the addition of international collection capabilities is designed to help Saudi brands scale more efficiently into global markets by simplifying cross-border transactions.
Future Outlook
Industry observers will now watch how quickly Salla can deploy Paylink's regulated infrastructure across its massive merchant base. The primary goal remains the creation of a seamless, all-in-one environment where inventory management, advertising, and financial services coexist. As Salla continues to absorb complementary technology firms, the company is positioning itself as the central infrastructure for digital trade in the Kingdom.