The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) held an expanded meeting on Tuesday with licensed electronic payment providers to accelerate the nation’s digital financial transformation, strengthen financial inclusion, and curb card misuse.

Chaired by CBI Governor Nizar Nasser Hussein, the meeting centered on executing the regulator’s strategic roadmap to modernize Iraq’s payment ecosystem and transition away from a cash-heavy economy.

Addressing representatives from the sector, Al-Alaq stated that the upcoming phase demands a noticeable increase in service quality, efficiency, and system reliability to build public trust in digital transactions.

Key Objectives and Strategic Focus

During the session, the central bank outlined several operational and regulatory priorities:

• Compliance with Global Standards: The CBI urged payment firms to adhere strictly to international frameworks, particularly regarding cross-border financial transactions. Compliance is expected to enable higher card transaction limits and facilitate the rollout of new financial products.
• Countering Card Misuse: Regulators and payment companies discussed joint enforcement procedures to prevent card misuse and enhance payment network security.
• Expanding Acceptance Networks: Al-Alaq called on providers to expand POS (Point-of-Sale) acceptance networks, streamline digital collection processes, and deepen integration with licensed commercial banks.

The initiative comes as part of broader government efforts to modernize the national economy, reduce cash dependency, and implement modern financial infrastructure across both the public and private sectors.