Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) Governor Hassan Abdalla said the number of customers registered on Egypt’s Instant Payment Network (IPN) reached around 22 million by the end of the second quarter of 2026, while transactions totaled approximately 1.47 billion, with a combined value of about EGP 4.33 trillion.

Abdalla made the remarks during his participation in the 50th annual meeting of the Council of Arab Central Banks and Monetary Authorities Governors, where he highlighted the significant growth of Egypt’s instant payment ecosystem.

He also participated in the MENA Financial Health Summit and events marking the Arab Monetary Fund’s golden jubilee and the 50th anniversary of its establishment.

During the meeting, the council reviewed progress in implementing initiatives under the Inclusive Instant Payments Program across the Arab region.

Abdalla said the region is witnessing a rapid shift toward digital payments, reflected in the launch and expansion of several instant payment systems, including InstaPay in Egypt, Sarie in Saudi Arabia and Aani in the UAE. He said these developments underscore the growing importance and adoption of inclusive instant payment programs across Arab countries.

He stressed that instant payment programs should be implemented in line with each country’s needs, priorities and level of payment-system development.

According to Abdalla, the next phase could focus on three main areas: expanding access to instant payment services, broadening their use cases, and strengthening regional integration and cross-border payments.

During a high-level workshop titled “Macroeconomic Resilience Amid Geopolitical Disruptions,” Abdalla also stressed the importance of maintaining central bank independence and credibility, while ensuring effective coordination between fiscal and monetary policies.

He noted that such coordination cannot work in only one direction, adding that fiscal and monetary policies should reinforce each other, particularly amid heightened global uncertainty.