Payment methods in Afghanistan

Asia

6methods

1bank

Over 70% of the population is unbanked, making financial inclusion a critical challenge.

Market takeaways

Over 70% of the population is unbanked, making financial inclusion a critical challenge.
Mobile phone penetration is high but smartphone and internet access remain limited, especially in rural areas.
Three major mobile operators (Roshan/M-Paisa, AWCC/My Money, Etisalat/M-Hawala) offer mobile money services.
Hawala informal value transfer networks remain a major component of financial flows.
Western Union and MoneyGram serve Afghan diaspora remittances at over 350 agent locations.

Population

42M

Online population

~8M

Banked population

~26%

Credit card population

<2%

Payment method breakdown

Cash85%
Mobile Money10%
Card2%
Bank Transfer3%

Card scheme breakdown

Market data coming soon.

Cross-border e-commerce

Market data coming soon.

Featured payment methods in Afghanistan

Popular options based on coverage and prominence in this market.

HesabPay

A blockchain-powered digital payments platform aiming to provide financial access to unbanked Afghans. HesabPay represents a new wave of fintech attempting to operate amid the country's difficult economic conditions.

My Money (AWCC)

Mobile money service operated by Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC). My Money supports peer-to-peer transfers and mobile-based financial services for AWCC subscribers.

M-Paisa (Roshan)

Mobile money service operated by Roshan, one of Afghanistan's largest mobile network operators. M-Paisa allows users to send money, pay bills, and receive wages via mobile phone without a bank account. Supported by USAID as part of a broader financial inclusion effort.

Western Union / MoneyGram

International money transfer operators providing cash payout services at over 350 Afghan agent locations. These services are critical for the Afghan diaspora to send remittances to family members in the country.

Hawala Networks

Traditional hawala broker networks remain a dominant mechanism for value transfer in Afghanistan, particularly for remittances. Hawala is deeply embedded in Afghan financial culture and continues to operate in the absence of accessible formal banking.

M-Hawala (Etisalat)

Mobile financial services platform operated by Etisalat Afghanistan (now part of e& group). M-Hawala draws on the cultural familiarity with hawala networks to provide digital money transfer services to subscribers.