# Egypt — payment codes and schemes

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

## Summary

- **InstaPay** 1.5B transactions, 12M users (2024)
- **Meeza Digital** national mobile payment network
- **Interoperable QR** Visa/MC/Meeza mandated
- **$53 billion** annual transaction value (2024)
- **Cross-border** capability launched Nov 2024

## Banking landscape

### Central Bank
- **Name:** Central Bank of Egypt (CBE)
- **Website:** https://www.cbe.org.eg/
- **Role:** Monetary policy, IPN oversight

### Major Banks (2024)

| Rank | Bank Name | Type | Digital Platform |
|------|-----------|------|------------------|
| 1 | National Bank of Egypt | State | NBE Mobile |
| 2 | Banque Misr | State | BM Mobile |
| 3 | Commercial International Bank | Private | CIB Smart |
| 4 | QNB Alahli | Regional | QNB Mobile |
| 5 | HSBC Egypt | International | HSBC App |

### Market Structure
- **CBE-regulated:** All banks connected
- **InstaPay:** National instant payment
- **Meeza:** National card/QR scheme
- **12 million** InstaPay users

---

## Payment infrastructure

### National Payment Systems

| System | Operator | Type | Status |
|--------|----------|------|--------|
| IPN | CBE | Instant payments | Active (2022) |
| InstaPay | Egyptian Banks Co | App | Active |
| Meeza Digital | CBE | Mobile network | Active |

### InstaPay Statistics (2024)
- **1.5 billion** transactions
- **EGP 2.9 trillion** value
- **12 million** users
- **$53 billion** annual value

### Instant Payment Network (IPN)
- Launched March 22, 2022
- 24/7 real-time transfers
- All operating banks connected
- National infrastructure

---

## QR code standards

### Interoperable QR

| Attribute | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| **Mandate** | CBE regulated |
| **Networks** | Visa, Mastercard, Meeza |
| **Standard** | Interoperable |
| **Feature** | Unified acceptance |

### CBE QR Mandate
- Interoperable QR standards
- Visa, Mastercard, Meeza included
- Prevents fragmentation
- Universal acceptance

### Meeza QR Features
- Registered merchant QR
- Meeza Wallet integration
- Request to Pay notifications
- Phone number based

### InstaPay QR
- QR code transfers
- Transfer links
- Seamless money transfers
- Performance enhancements

---

## Mobile payment apps

| App | Provider | QR | Features |
|-----|----------|-------|----------|
| InstaPay Egypt | Egyptian Banks Co | Yes | Full transfers |
| Meeza Wallet | Banks | Yes | Request to Pay |
| Bank Apps | Various | Yes | Banking |

### InstaPay Egypt
- First CBE-approved IPN app
- QR code transfers
- Transfer links
- 24/7 real-time
- Cross-border (Nov 2024)

### Meeza Digital
- National mobile network
- E-wallet linking
- Instant transfers
- Over 1 million users (Aug 2024)

### Transaction Limits
- EGP 70,000 per transaction
- EGP 120,000 daily per bank
- EGP 400,000 monthly

---

## Schemes

| Scheme | Type | Symbology | Adoption | Technical standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [InstaPay](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/EG/instapay) | Instant | QR/Link | 12M users | [`instapay`](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/instapay) |
| [Meeza QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/EG/meeza-qr) | National | QR | 1M+ users | [`meeza-qr`](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/meeza-qr) |
| [IPN](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/EG/ipn) | Infrastructure | Bank | Universal | — |

## Sources

- [Transfi - Egypt Payment Rails](https://www.transfi.com/blog/egypts-payment-rails-how-they-work---meeza-instapay-mobile-wallet-growth)
- [CBE - Instant Payment Network](https://www.cbe.org.eg/en/payment-systems-and-services/instant-payment-network)
- [InstaPay Egypt - App Store](https://apps.apple.com/gr/app/instapay-egypt/id1592108795)
- [Geidea - Meeza QR Payment](https://docs.geidea.net/docs/meeza-qr-payment-method)
- [Thunes - Egypt Transformation](https://www.thunes.com/insights/trends/egypts-payments-transformation-a-regional-hub-in-the-making/)
- [KFH Egypt - InstaPay](https://www.eg.kfh.com/personal/instapay/)
- [Mordor Intelligence - Egypt Mobile Payments](https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/egypt-mobile-payment-market)
- [Africa Business - Digital Issuing](https://africabusiness.com/2025/04/23/egypts-digital-issuing-revolution-apple-tokenisation-drives-interest/)

## Full country report

[EG-egypt.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/EG)