Egypt’s Financial Inclusion Reaches 79% With 56.4 Million Accounts

Financial inclusion in Egypt reached 79% in June 2026, with 56.4 million people holding active financial accounts out of 71.4 million citizens aged 15 and above, according to the Central Bank of Egypt.

The bank counts bank accounts, postal accounts, mobile wallets and prepaid cards as active financial accounts. It added that core indicators from its Financial Inclusion Datahub show financial inclusion has expanded by 229% between 2016 and June 2026.

The data also showed continued gains among women and young people. Financial inclusion among women increased from 19.1% in 2016 to 72.5% in June 2026, while the rate among people aged 15 to 35 rose from 36.3% in 2020 to 58%. The Central Bank attributed the progress to targeted initiatives aimed at expanding access to financial services for underserved groups, including the presidential Haya Karima (Decent Life) initiative, the Transforming the Livelihoods of Smallholder Farmers project, and programmes delivered with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Council for Women.

Building on this progress, the Central Bank of Egypt is developing a Second National Financial Inclusion Strategy (2026–2030) with government partners. The strategy aims to expand the effective and secure use of financial services, support businesses and entrepreneurs, accelerate the integration of the informal economy, promote digital financial solutions and sustainable finance, strengthen financial literacy and consumer protection, and further develop Egypt's financial and technological infrastructure.

It is being informed by a nationwide survey conducted in partnership with the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, and the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics.