In support of the state’s plan to achieve financial inclusion, the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) continues to coordinate with telecom service providers to create a robust digital payments environment and establish regulatory frameworks for mobile wallet services. This facilitates the adoption of electronic payment methods, accelerating the transition from a cash-based to a cashless society.

As part of its efforts to raise user awareness about electronic payment methods, the NTRA issued its Q1 2025 report (January–March 2025) on mobile wallet usage indicators. Key findings include:

• Total number of mobile wallets: 43.7 million nationwide

• Number of financial transactions: 589 million

• Total transaction value: EGP 859 billion

Distribution of mobile wallets by company:

• Vodafone Cash: 56%

• E&Cash: 21%

• Orange Cash: 19%

• WE Pay: 4%

Distribution of transactions by company:

• Vodafone Cash: 79%

• E&Cash: 11%

• Orange Cash: 9%

• WE Pay: 1%

Distribution of transaction value by company:

• Vodafone Cash: 83%

• E&Cash: 9%

• Orange Cash: 7%

• WE Pay: 1%

Year-on-Year Comparison (Q1 2025 vs Q1 2024):

• Number of wallets: +31% (43.7M vs 33.3M)

• Number of transactions: +61% (589M vs 366.7M)

• Transaction value: +63% (EGP 859.2B vs EGP 525.6B)

Breakdown of transactions by type (Q1 2025):

• Wallet-to-wallet transfers: 63%

• Top-ups (mobile/internet): 21%

• Deposits: 7%

• Withdrawals: 6%

• Other payments (donations, utility bills, shopping, etc.): 3%

Breakdown of transaction value by type:

• Wallet-to-wallet transfers: 78%

• Withdrawals: 13%

• Deposits: 6%

• Other payments: 2%

• Top-ups: 1%

Deposit sources:

• Direct deposits: 85%

• ATM deposits: 9%

• Bank account to wallet transfers: 6%

Withdrawal distribution:

• Cash withdrawals: 82%

• Other payments (donations, bills, shopping, etc.): 13%

• Top-ups: 5%

NTRA Initiatives to Promote Mobile Wallet Usage in Egypt:

1. International Ranking Improvement:

   • Egypt advanced 39 positions to rank 6th globally in the GSMA Mobile Wallet Regulatory Index for 2024 (up from 45th in 2023).

   • Index value rose from 80 points in 2023 to 93 points in 2024, reflecting Egypt’s success in digital transformation and financial inclusion.

2. Encouraging Wallet Usage Initiatives:

   • Payment of school and university fees via mobile wallets

   • “Women’s Month” initiative offering free units and cashback

   • Services and benefits tailored for people with disabilities

3. Lowering Minimum Age for Mobile Wallets:

   • NTRA mandated telecom operators to allow wallet activation from age 15, aligning with the legal age for national ID issuance.

4. International Remittances to Wallets:

   • NTRA approved the IMR service, enabling foreigners to send funds to mobile wallets in Egypt, with automatic conversion to EGP at the official exchange rate.

This report highlights the continued growth and adoption of mobile wallet services in Egypt, reflecting the successful implementation of policies to promote financial inclusion and digital payments.