Central Bank sets new rules for Lebanon’s digital payments sector

Lebanon’s digital payments sector has expanded rapidly in recent years, filling gaps left by the country’s prolonged banking crisis and cash shortages. As electronic wallets, money transfer platforms and payment facilitators became increasingly central to daily transactions, the absence of a clear regulatory framework raised concerns over oversight, consumer protection and systemic risk. Against this backdrop, Banque du Liban has moved to formalize and regulate the sector, seeking to impose order on a fast-growing but largely unstructured digital financial landscape.

In this context, Banque du Liban issued a statement yesterday announcing a new regulatory decision governing electronic payment services.  “As part of its ongoing efforts to regulate electronic financial operations, Banque du Liban has issued Basic Decision No. 13790 dated January 9, 2026, concerning Electronic Payment Services Providers.

According to the statement, the circular was prepared in line with best practices and internationally adopted standards in the field of electronic payment services, while taking into account the specificities of the Lebanese market and the nature of local financial transactions. The aim, it said, is to ensure that these standards are aligned with the operational realities in Lebanon.

Banque du Liban noted that the decision seeks to establish a clear legal and regulatory framework governing the work of electronic payment service providers. This framework is intended to enhance compliance within what it described as a vital sector, while ensuring the protection of the rights of users of electronic payment services.

For the first time in Lebanon, the circular introduced categories for electronic payment service providers based on the nature of the services they offer, as follows:

Category A: Electronic money services (E-Money).
Category B: Local money transfer services.
Category C: Cross-border money transfer services.
Category D: Money collection and payment services.
Category E: Payment facilitation services (Payment Facilitators).

Specific capital requirements were set for each of these categories at LBP 50 billion, with the exception of Category E, for which the capital requirement is LBP 25 billion, 15 percent of which must be frozen at Banque du Liban. Companies were also required to pay an annual fee to Banque du Liban amounting to LBP 3 billion for each category.

The circular also set a maximum limit on the number of agents for these companies, with the exception of Category E, which is capped at 1,200 agents. Agents may not be appointed in a given governorate unless the company has first opened a branch in that governorate to supervise and oversee the work of its affiliated agents.

Beyond classification and capital requirements, the circular lays out a set of general conditions applicable to all categories of electronic payment service providers, alongside specific conditions tailored to each category. According to Banque du Liban, this approach is intended to ensure clarity in the regulatory framework and to define the operational and supervisory requirements governing each type of activity within the sector.

Concluding its statement, the central bank said that through this circular, Banque du Liban reaffirms its commitment to updating the circulars and regulations it issues in order to keep pace with rapid technological developments and evolving market needs. It added that these measures aim to ensure the safety and sustainability of electronic payment systems in Lebanon and to strengthen confidence in their use.