Egypt Embraces Soft POS Tech to Drive Cashless Transactions Nationwide

Mohammed Fathy

Last updated 2-02-2026

3 min

Egypt’s central bank launched a Soft POS service turning smartphones into payment acceptance points.

Merchants can accept contactless card payments with no “bulky machines” or extra wiring.

The move cuts costs and eases access for micro and small businesses.

Secure PIN entry meets “internationally recognised security standards”.

The initiative supports a cash‑lighter economy and Egypt’s Vision 2030 goals.

Egypt’s move towards a cash‑lighter economy just took another step, after the Central Bank of Egypt rolled out a new contactless payment acceptance service that works directly on smart devices. In simple terms, merchants can now accept card payments using their mobile phones or tablets, provided they download a Soft POS application. No bulky machines, no extra wiring. Spot on timing, if you ask me.

According to a statement issued on 1 February, this service allows smartphones and tablets to function as payment acceptance points. Customers can tap their contactless cards, and even enter their PINs securely on the device itself, in line with internationally recognised security standards. For anyone who’s ever struggled with an old, temperamental POS terminal, this feels like a breath of fresh air.

I remember chatting, years back, with a small kiosk owner in Cairo who told me getting a POS device was a bit of a faff — paperwork, fees, maintenance, you name it. This new setup neatly sidesteps that headache. By removing the need to buy or maintain traditional POS terminals, the bank is lowering costs and making it much easier for small businesses to join the electronic payments ecosystem. That’s a big deal for micro and small enterprises, which often get left behind when tech upgrades roll out.

The initiative ties neatly into the CBE’s broader push to cut down on cash usage, widen financial inclusion, and support Egypt’s Vision 2030. It should also smooth out the customer experience, with faster, more secure payments at the counter. And believe it or not, speed really matters. A few seconds saved per transaction adds up quickly during a busy day.

There was an earlier pilot of this service, capped at transactions of up to EGP 600. This latest launch builds on that groundwork as part of the bank’s ongoing efforts to strengthen digital financial infrastructure and offer low‑cost payment solutions through smartphones. On the flip side, some merchants may still worry about security or training staff on new apps, but the standards in place should ease those concerns.

From an Arageek point of view, this feels like one of those quiet changes that can spark bigger shifts. I reckon solutions like Soft POS could quietly reshape how informal and semi‑formal businesses operate, bringing more of them into the digital economy — and definately making daily commerce a bit smoother, well… you know?

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