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Ethiopia has launched EthioPay, a national instant payment system designed to boost digital finance and intra-African trade.

Ethiopia has officially launched EthioPay, its national Instant Payment System (IPS), alongside the National Digital Payment Strategy (NDPS) 2026–2030, marking a major step in the country’s digital finance transformation.

Unveiled in December 2025 at the Second Ethiopia Digital Payment Conference in Addis Ababa, the five-year strategy focuses on interoperability, trust, and innovation. It aims to expand digital payment adoption, modernise financial infrastructure, and reduce barriers for underserved populations.

EthioPay is designed to support person-to-person transfers, QR payments, bulk payments, and cross-border transactions, providing a secure and interoperable backbone for Ethiopia’s payment ecosystem. The roadmap also targets low-value outbound cross-border payments via cards, mobile wallets, and digital banking.

AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene said the initiative will strengthen Ethiopia’s ability to tap into Africa’s 1.4-billion-person market and promote financial inclusion, especially for informal traders, SMEs, women, and young entrepreneurs, while reducing Africa’s reliance on third-party currencies.