Google Pay Launches in Lebanon in Collaboration with Visa
Starting today, Visa cardholders of BLOM and BLF can add their Visa cards to their Google Wallet on Android and Wear OS devices, allowing payments to be made wherever contactless options are accepted. More banks in Lebanon will go live over the next few weeks. This integration supports the strong demand for digital payment options in Lebanon, offering locals and tourists the convenience of using their mobile phones for contactless payments.
Lebanon now boasts over 5.3 million internet users (representing 91.6% penetration) and approximately 4.7 million mobile broadband subscriptions (over 80% of the population), indicating a high level of digital readiness. With smartphone usage effectively mirroring mobile access, Lebanese consumers are well-positioned to adopt mobile-first payment solutions like Google Pay.
Security is the cornerstone of Google Pay as it is based on tokenization, a security-enhancing technology that replaces sensitive personal data with a unique cryptographic key. This ensures that each transaction is protected with a device-specific token and a dynamic security code that changes with every transaction.
Mario Makary, Vice President and Country Manager, for Visa in Levant, 'We are excited to strengthen our ongoing efforts to accelerate Lebanon's digital payments journey through this collaboration with Google. As mobile penetration in the country surpasses 80% as of early 2025, and consumers increasingly embrace contactless, cashless options, this launch marks another important step in delivering secure, convenient, and globally accepted payment experiences. Lebanon now joins a growing list of markets, including Jordan, where we are actively driving the shift toward mobile-first solutions, reinforcing our commitment to advancing the future of payments across the Levant.'
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