Mobile payments in Algeria in 2026: the complete guide
Edahabia, CIB, BaridiMob, Baridi Pay, QR codes, PSPs: who does what, how it works, and what to choose for your situation.
Cash is still king in Algeria, but electronic payments are growing fast: according to GIE Monétique, more than 21 million payment cards were in circulation in 2025, about 8 in 10 of them Algérie Poste Edahabia cards. Between cards, apps and QR codes, it is not always easy to find your way. Here are the essentials, without jargon.
1. The Edahabia card (Algérie Poste)
Edahabia is the payment card linked to a CCP postal account. It lets you withdraw cash from Algérie Poste and bank ATMs, pay at merchants that have a card terminal (TPE), and pay online on Algerian e-commerce websites.
It is the most widespread electronic payment method in the country, because most Algerians already have a CCP account.
2. The CIB card (bank cards)
The CIB card (interbank card) is issued by Algerian banks. It runs on the same interbank network as Edahabia: ATMs, card terminals and online payments. You just need a bank account.
The limit for both cards: the merchant needs a terminal. At the end of 2025, Algeria had about 80,000 card terminals for more than one million merchants (source: TSA). In other words, most shops do not accept cards yet.
3. BaridiMob and Baridi Pay: paying with your phone
BaridiMob is Algérie Poste’s mobile app. It lets you check your CCP account, transfer money between CCP accounts and, since June 14, 2025, pay merchants with Baridi Pay.
How Baridi Pay works: the merchant displays a QR code, the customer scans it with BaridiMob, confirms the amount, and the money moves from the customer’s CCP account to the merchant’s business CCP account. Algérie Poste set a minimum of 100 DZD per payment.
The upside: no card and no terminal. The condition: the merchant needs a business CCP account.
4. The new payment service providers (PSPs)
Since 2025, the Bank of Algeria regulates a new category of players: payment service providers. Regulation No. 25-02 of April 14, 2025 sets the authorisation conditions, and Instruction No. 06-2025 of August 17, 2025 details how they operate.
These texts provide for remote opening of payment accounts, with three tiers capped at 100,000, 500,000 and 1,000,000 DZD depending on identity verification, and allow PSPs to rely on agents (local shops) for cash deposits and withdrawals.
Centeem operates within this framework: its PSP authorisation is pending with the Bank of Algeria (details on our compliance page). To understand how a PSP differs from a bank, read PSP or bank: what is the difference?. One piece of advice for any service: always check a provider’s regulatory status before trusting it with your money.
5. What to choose for your situation?
- You have a CCP account: Edahabia for withdrawals and card terminals, BaridiMob for transfers and QR code payments.
- You have a bank account: the CIB card, and your bank’s app for transfers.
- You are a merchant: a card terminal if your customers mostly pay by card, a QR code to accept payments without buying hardware. See our guide accepting payments without a terminal.
- You are visiting Algeria: see our guide how to pay in Algeria as a tourist.
Stay safe: never share your PIN, a code received by SMS or your login details, even with someone claiming to work for Algérie Poste, a bank or Centeem.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay online with an Edahabia card?
Yes, on Algerian e-commerce websites that accept interbank electronic payments, just like with a CIB card.
What is the difference between BaridiMob and Baridi Pay?
BaridiMob is Algérie Poste’s app to manage a CCP account. Baridi Pay is the QR code payment feature built into BaridiMob since June 2025.
What is a PSP in Algeria?
A payment service provider authorised by the Bank of Algeria. It can open payment accounts and execute payments, but it does not lend money like a bank.
Sources: GIE Monétique (2025 figures, via Radio Algérie), Algérie Poste (Baridi Pay, via Algérie-Eco), TSA (card terminals and merchants), Bank of Algeria (Regulation No. 25-02 and Instruction No. 06-2025).