Qatar Central Bank (QCB)
Do I need a licence to operate a payment gateway in Qatar?
Content reviewed 2026-08-14 · How we check sources
Short answer
It depends on the gateway’s functions. If the company itself provides a regulated payment service such as acquiring, e-money or payment execution, QCB authorisation is required; a pure technology gateway can have a different perimeter.
What this means
QCB publicly identifies licensed payment-service activity including merchant acquiring and e-money issuance.
Map funds handling, merchant contracts and settlement responsibility rather than relying on the product label “gateway.”
Official sources
Qatar Central Bank — Payment Services and FinTech ↗Some source links need review. The content-review date above is separate from link availability.
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Regulatory research, not legal advice. This answer has the scope and review date shown above; your institution decides applicability.