Transactions on the Instant Payment Network (IPN) reached 843 million in the first quarter of 2026, with a combined value of more than EGP 2 trillion, according to the Financial Stability Report published on the Central Bank of Egypt's official website. The figures reflect the wider use of digital financial services and the development of the national payments system.

The report described the Instant Payment Network and the InstaPay app as two main pillars of the national payments system. By enabling instant money transfers and connecting the banks operating in Egypt, they improve payment efficiency and speed up the circulation of money in the economy.

According to the report, the number of ATMs exceeded 26,457 by the end of March 2026, while electronic point-of-sale terminals topped 1.4 million over the same period, as part of the expansion of the infrastructure needed to provide banking services and facilitate electronic transactions.

Mobile wallet accounts reached about 60.3 million by the end of March 2026, up 28.7% year on year, while wallet transactions were worth about EGP 1.6 trillion in the first quarter, an annual growth rate of 28.2%.

QR code acceptance points rose to about 1 million by the end of March 2026, a 14% annual increase, supporting the spread of electronic acceptance and the wider use of wallets for payments and collections.

The report also covered the CBE's work to develop the multi-currency real-time gross settlement (RTGS) system, which provides instant, final settlement of interbank payments in local and foreign currencies, as well as settlement of the automated clearing house results. Total settlement values in Egyptian pounds grew 16.8% in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period of 2025.

On updating financial messaging standards, the report pointed to a comprehensive plan to prepare the banking sector for a full migration to the ISO 20022 standard. The standard carries more detailed transaction data, strengthens banks' ability to screen transactions automatically in line with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing requirements, and facilitates cross-border payments and integration with regional payment platforms.

On financial inclusion, 77.9% of citizens aged 15 and over were financially included by the end of March 2026, compared with 77.6% at the end of December 2025 and 74.8% at the end of December 2024.

Financial inclusion among women reached 71.4% at the end of December 2025, up from 68.8% at the end of December 2024, while the rate among young people aged 15 to 35 reached 58.6%, compared with about 53.1% over the same period.

The report noted that a National Financial Inclusion Strategy for 2026 to 2030 is being prepared in cooperation with the relevant ministries and authorities. It focuses on making financial services available, encouraging their actual and sustained use, and raising their quality and relevance to citizens' needs, in support of better financial health and a more inclusive and sustainable economy.

These directions are in line with the targets of Egypt Vision 2030, by widening access to financial services, promoting social justice and improving quality of life, while supporting digital transformation, banking sector efficiency and financial stability.