Payment Cards Reach 23 Million, Terminals Increase
Algeria continues to see progress in the adoption of electronic payments, according to data presented by the Economic Interest Grouping for Electronic Money (GIE Monétique). By the end of August 2026, the number of payment cards in circulation across Algeria reached approximately 23 million, marking an increase of over 8% since December 2025. This total includes roughly 19 million Edahabia cards managed by Algérie Poste and more than 4 million interbank CIB cards issued by various banks, indicating a broad distribution of digital payment tools.
The electronic payment infrastructure has also expanded considerably at the merchant level. The number of Point-of-Sale (TPE) terminals increased from 78,000 in December 2025 to 126,000 by August 2026. This expansion has been accompanied by a substantial rise in TPE usage, with the total amount of transactions processed through these terminals growing by 165% over the same period. The increasing availability of equipment enables more merchants and service providers to offer card payment options to customers.
E-commerce has similarly experienced notable growth, with the number of active web-merchants rising by 68%, from 644 in December 2025 to 1,034 by August 2026. Online services provided now encompass ticketing, energy bill payments, insurance, and various large retail services. Looking ahead, the GIE Monétique projects a 200% increase in the total value of online transactions for the entirety of 2026 compared to 2025, further highlighting the ongoing digital transformation within Algeria's financial sector.
