# Antigua and Barbuda — payment codes and schemes

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/AG
> extracted at 2026-10-03
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

## Summary

- **DCash** ECCB CBDC with QR
- **Pilot ended** January 2024
- **DCash 2.0** planned 2026
- **CaribPay** digital payments
- **ECCU member** 8-nation union

## Banking landscape

### Central Bank
- **Name:** Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB)
- **Website:** https://www.eccb-centralbank.org/
- **Role:** Monetary policy for ECCU

### Major Banks (2024)

| Rank | Bank Name | Type | Digital Platform |
|------|-----------|------|------------------|
| 1 | Antigua Commercial Bank | Local | ACB Mobile |
| 2 | First Caribbean | Regional | CIBC App |
| 3 | RBTT Bank | Regional | RBTT Mobile |
| 4 | Eastern Caribbean AB | Regional | ECAB App |
| 5 | Global Bank of Commerce | Offshore | GBC Online |

### Market Structure
- **ECCB:** Regional central bank
- **DCash:** CBDC implementation
- **Tourism:** Economic driver
- **Offshore:** Banking center

---

## Payment infrastructure

### National Payment Systems

| System | Operator | Type | Status |
|--------|----------|------|--------|
| DCash | ECCB | CBDC | Pilot ended |
| Bank transfers | Banks | Wire | Active |
| Card networks | Visa/MC | Cards | Active |
| ACH | ECCB | Clearing | Active |

### DCash CBDC
- Eastern Caribbean Central Bank
- QR code payments
- P2P, P2B, B2B
- Pilot ended January 2024
- DCash 2.0 planned 2026

### Pilot Status
- Launched March 2021
- Discontinued January 2024
- Technical issues cited
- Relaunch planned

---

## QR code standards

### DCash QR

| Attribute | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| **Provider** | ECCB |
| **Type** | CBDC |
| **Feature** | Scan to pay |
| **Status** | Ended Jan 2024 |

### DCash QR Features
- QR code scanning
- Instant settlement
- Zero transaction fees
- Mobile wallet based
- Cross-border ECCU

### CaribPay

| Attribute | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| **Provider** | CaribPay |
| **Feature** | Digital payments |
| **Market** | Caribbean |
| **QR** | Supported |

---

## Mobile payment apps

| App | Provider | QR | Features |
|-----|----------|-------|----------|
| DCash | ECCB | Yes | CBDC wallet |
| CaribPay | CaribPay | Yes | Payments |
| Bank Apps | Various | Limited | Banking |

### DCash Wallet Features
- P2P transfers
- Merchant payments
- QR scanning
- No bank account needed
- Free transactions

### Pilot Challenges
- Technical issues
- Low adoption
- Merchant reluctance
- Infrastructure gaps

---

## Schemes

| Scheme | Type | Symbology | Adoption | Technical standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [DCash QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/AG/dcash-qr) | CBDC | ECCB | Ended | [`dcash`](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/dcash) |
| [CaribPay](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/AG/caribpay) | Digital | Private | Active | [`caribpay`](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/caribpay) |
| [Bank transfers](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/AG/bank-transfers) | Wire | SWIFT | Active | — |

## Sources

- [ECCB - DCash](https://www.eccb-centralbank.org/p/about-dcash)
- [Atlantic Council - DCash Tracker](https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/cbdctracker/)
- [IMF - ECCU Digital Currency](https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2022/03/17/cf-the-eastern-caribbean-launches-worlds-first-blockchain-based-currency-union)
- [CaribPay Official](https://caribpay.com/)

## Full country report

[AG-antigua-and-barbuda.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/AG)