Discover Financial Services signed a strategic agreement with Saudi Payments to expand card acceptance across each network.

Discover, Diners Club International, Pulse and network alliance cardholders will be able to use their cards across the Mada payments network, including point of sale terminals, ATMs and for online purchases. Saudi banks will also be able to issue cards on the Discover Global Network for purchases or cash access outside of the Kingdom.

"The new partnership with Discover Global Network reflects Saudi Payments commitment to provide multiple payment options in the Kingdom's digital payments sector and supports the Kingdom's target of becoming a 70% cashless society by 2030," Ziad bin Bandar Al-Yousef, managing director at Saudi Payments, said in a company release from Discover. "This will increase choice from all our stakeholders, including citizens, residents, tourists and pilgrims, and make transactions smoother and easier."

Saudi Payments is a unit of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority.