The Central Bank of Afghanistan (Da Afghanistan Bank, DAB) held a meeting with the Afghanistan Banks Association and commercial bank heads to discuss implementation of recently approved general guidelines for developing electronic payments, with a focus on moving transactions from cash to electronic channels. Chaired by First Deputy Governor Sediqullah Khalid, the session covered coordinated execution of the electronic payments strategy, expansion of financial inclusion through digital solutions, and requirements for banks to strengthen systems, broaden services, and improve public access to electronic payment services. Discussions also addressed banks’ investments in public-benefit projects and process simplification, with Khalid urging banks to reduce banking-sector investments abroad in order to create more domestic investment opportunities and to streamline procedures to make banking more convenient for the public.
Central Bank of Afghanistan 2026-01-05
Central Bank of Afghanistan urges commercial banks to implement Prime Minister-approved electronic payments guidelines and accelerate the shift from cash to digital
The Central Bank of Afghanistan met with the Afghanistan Banks Association and commercial bank heads to discuss implementation of newly approved guidelines to shift transactions from cash to electronic payment channels. The meeting focused on coordinated execution of the electronic payments strategy, expanding financial inclusion through digital solutions, strengthening banking systems and services, and encouraging banks to reduce foreign investments in favour of domestic projects and simpler customer procedures.