Mastercard is expanding the next phase of its Built Small. Moving Strong. platform, introducing new partnerships, research and practical resources designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) navigate changing market conditions and strengthen their businesses.
The expansion comes alongside Mastercard’s sponsorship of Money20/20 Middle East, where the company is bringing together financial institutions, governments, technology providers and ecosystem partners around solutions focused on SME growth.
Launched earlier this year, Built Small. Moving Strong. addresses challenges facing entrepreneurs, including rising operating costs, market disruption and changing customer expectations. The latest phase focuses on business insights, growth guidance, working capital access, business payment solutions and market initiatives that provide practical support to SMEs.
One of the new resources is the SME Growth Playbook, a framework designed to help financial institutions identify, acquire, engage and support small businesses. The playbook combines Mastercard’s research, market insights and ecosystem practices into guidance that can be adapted to different markets.
Mastercard has also introduced the SME Confidence Index to monitor the outlook, priorities and business conditions facing small enterprises across key markets. Research in Saudi Arabia found that 75% of small business leaders are confident about the year ahead, while 67% reported revenue growth during the previous 12 months.
The research also highlighted the increasing importance of digital payments to SMEs. According to the findings, 77% of small businesses in Saudi Arabia accept online payments, demonstrating the growing role of digital tools in business operations and customer transactions.
Mastercard is further expanding its SME payments offering through a partnership with HyperPay. The companies launched an SME Business Card intended to help businesses manage expenses and improve financial efficiency, with plans to extend the offering beyond Saudi Arabia into the UAE and Qatar.
Another partnership with Jarir is providing Mastercard SME cardholders with discounts on essential products through Jarir’s e-commerce platform. The initiative is intended to help small businesses reduce costs on business essentials while supporting productivity and operational efficiency.
Onur Kursun, Executive Vice President, Commercial and New Payment Flows, EEMEA, Mastercard, said SMEs need access to insights, tools, opportunities and trusted partners to grow sustainably. He highlighted Mastercard’s technology, network and partnerships as key components of the platform’s approach to supporting small businesses.
Mastercard said it will continue expanding Built Small. Moving Strong. through additional partnerships, market activations and programmes focused on entrepreneurs. The initiative also contributes to the company’s wider goal of bringing 500 million people and small businesses onto pathways to financial health by 2030.
The expanded platform reflects the growing importance of combining financial services, business intelligence and digital tools to help SMEs improve resilience, manage costs and pursue new growth opportunities across emerging markets.
