The National Bank of Ethiopia announced the successful upgrade of the Ethiopian Automated Transfer System (EATS), Ethiopia’s Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system, to the ISO 20022 messaging standard, effective since 29 March 2025. The change is intended to improve the efficiency, security and reliability of high-value interbank payment processing. EATS processes over 3.5 million transactions a year with an aggregate value exceeding ETB 5 trillion, settling payments in real time among 35 participating financial institutions including commercial banks and microfinance entities. The ISO 20022 migration introduces new messaging formats and functionality, including liquidity management tools, enhanced security protocols and stronger transaction integrity controls, and it also enables automated, real-time compliance with regulatory reserve requirements.
National Bank of Ethiopia 2025-04-24
National Bank of Ethiopia upgrades Ethiopian Automated Transfer System RTGS to ISO 20022 messaging standard
The National Bank of Ethiopia upgraded the Ethiopian Automated Transfer System to the ISO 20022 standard, enhancing efficiency, security, and reliability in high-value interbank payments. EATS processes over 3.5 million transactions annually, exceeding ETB 5 trillion, among 35 financial institutions. The upgrade introduces new messaging formats, liquidity management tools, and real-time compliance with regulatory reserve requirements.