Egypt splits fintech supervision between the Central Bank and the Financial Regulatory Authority. The licences payment, lending, insurtech and investment businesses need, the sandboxes, and the data protection rules that now apply.
Egypt has one of the region's most active fintech markets, and its rules have developed quickly. The first question for any fintech business is which regulator it falls under, because Egypt divides supervision between two authorities.
Two regulators
- The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) regulates banking and payments under the Central Bank and Banking System Law (Law No. 194 of 2020).
- The Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) regulates non-banking financial services, including consumer finance, microfinance, insurance and capital markets, and the use of technology in those activities under Law No. 5 of 2022.
Payments and digital banking (CBE)
- Payment service providers and payment system operators require a direct licence from the CBE. The transition period for existing providers to obtain one ended on 31 May 2026.
- Foreign providers serving customers in Egypt must meet CBE conditions, including licensing in their home country and an established track record.
- Digital banks must be established as separately licensed entities, and the first digital bank licence was granted in 2025.
- Crypto-assets: issuing, trading or promoting cryptocurrencies without a CBE licence is prohibited.
- Sandbox: the CBE's FinTech Egypt regulatory sandbox allows firms to test innovative products in defined cohorts.
Non-banking fintech (FRA)
Law No. 5 of 2022 regulates the use of technology in non-banking financial activities. Implementing decrees cover digital identity, digital contracting, outsourcing and cybersecurity. Key areas include:
- Digital consumer finance and lending, where the FRA has recently restricted new licences, so the current position should be checked before applying.
- Microfinance and nano-finance.
- Insurtech, under the Unified Insurance Law (Law No. 155 of 2024), including electronic issuance of standard policies with FRA approval.
- Robo-advisory services, offered through licensed portfolio managers.
The FRA also operates its own sandbox for non-banking fintech.
Data protection and AML
- Personal data. The executive regulations of the Personal Data Protection Law (Law No. 151 of 2020) were issued in November 2025, bringing the law fully into operation. FRA-supervised businesses are within its scope, including its rules on cross-border transfers of data. Entities supervised by the CBE are largely outside it but remain subject to the CBE's own confidentiality rules.
- AML/CFT. Fintech businesses must comply with the Anti-Money Laundering Law and the AML rules of their regulator, including customer due diligence and reporting suspicious transactions.
Practical steps for fintech businesses
- Map your product to the right regulator and licence before launch.
- Consider the sandbox route for genuinely new products.
- Build compliance into the product: KYC, data protection, cybersecurity and outsourcing controls.
- Plan for investor diligence, which in fintech focuses heavily on licensing.
- Monitor changes, as both regulators are issuing new rules frequently.
How we can help
We advise fintech founders, investors and financial institutions on licensing, product structuring, data protection and transactions in Egypt and the region. Contact us to discuss your business.
This briefing reflects the position as at November 2026.
This briefing is for general information only and is not legal advice. For advice on your situation, contact us.