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Fintech & payments regulation in Tunisia (2026)

Fintech and digital payments in Tunisia: licensing regime.

Tunisia operates a functioning licensing regime for payment institutions and electronic money under the Banque Centrale de Tunisie (BCT), anchored in Law 2016-48 and BCT Circular 2018-16. The BCT actively grants approvals, including new definitive licences in early 2026, and maintains a formal Regulatory Sandbox (since January 2020) and a dedicated Fintech portal. Open banking and dedicated BNPL regulation remain absent, and the instant-payment infrastructure is still being modernised toward ISO 20022.

Last verified Official sources first · MethodologyCompare Tunisia with other countries

Legal framework

Law No. 2016-48 of 11 July 2016 on Banks and Financial Institutions (Art. 20 delegates payment institution rules to BCT circulars); BCT Circular 2018-16 governing payment institution activity and operations; BCT as sole licensing authority

Key points: digital payments & fintech in Tunisia

  1. Payment Institution Licensing

    Law No. 2016-48 and BCT Circular 2018-16 require prior BCT approval commission authorisation to operate as a payment institution. Multiple licences have been issued; OFT Tunisie received a definitive licence in January 2026 (Official Gazette No. 65/2026), and Ooredoo Fintech obtained BCT approval in February 2026 to launch a digital wallet.

    managers.tn mena-fintech.org fintech.bct.gov.tn

  2. BCT Fintech Portal & Regulatory Sandbox

    The BCT launched an official Regulatory Sandbox in January 2020 (fintech.bct.gov.tn) allowing fintech cohorts to test innovative solutions, including blockchain payments and remittances, under BCT supervision for 6-12 months with user and volume caps. Access requires a one-time ~100 TND fee.

    fintech.bct.gov.tn allafrica.com fintech.bct.gov.tn

  3. TUNPAY National Mobile Payment Label

    In May 2026 the BCT, in partnership with Société Monétique Tunisie (SMT), launched TUNPAY, a mandatory national label unifying mobile payment interfaces for all banks, payment institutions, La Poste Tunisienne, and their merchant/agent networks. It reflects 81% YoY growth in mobile transactions to 8.4 million in 2025.

    ecofinagency.com lapresse.tn

  4. Cheque Reform & Emerging BNPL

    Law No. 41-2024 (2 August 2024) reformed the cheque framework; the digital platform TuniChèque launched February 2025. The decline of post-dated cheques as informal credit has spurred bank-led BNPL offerings (e.g. BTK Bank, Amen Bank), but no dedicated BNPL licensing or regulatory framework exists as of mid-2026.

    arabfintechforum.com siliconafrica.com

  5. Instant Payments & ISO 20022 Modernisation

    Tunisia is adopting ISO 20022 to enable frictionless bank-to-fintech communication and instant transfers, and e-invoicing obligations for certain transactions are entering force in 2026, pushing operators toward digital payments. A dedicated instant-payment rail law has not yet been enacted.

    arabfintechforum.com amef-consulting.com

  6. Open Banking & Forex Liberalisation

    No formal open banking law or third-party API access mandate has been enacted. However, in late 2025 Tunisia repealed a 50-year-old foreign exchange restriction to retain tech and startup talent, signalling a liberalising policy direction for the fintech sector.

    launchbaseafrica.com amef-consulting.com

Sources

  1. fintech.bct.gov.tn/en/r%C3%A9glementation
  2. fintech.bct.gov.tn/en/sandbox
  3. bct.gov.tn/bct/siteprod/page.jsp?id=59&la=AN
  4. managers.tn/2026/03/16/la-banque-centrale-accorde-une-nouvelle-licence-definitive
  5. mena-fintech.org/news/ooredoo-fintech-cleared-to-launch-digital-wallet-in-tunisia/
  6. ecofinagency.com/news-digital/0905-55414-tunisia-introduces-tunpay-label-to-regulate-a
  7. lapresse.tn/2026/05/08/tunepay-la-tunisie-se-dote-dun-label-national-pour-unifier
  8. amef-consulting.com/en/2026/01/tunisian-banking-sector-regulatory-retrospective-2025/
  9. launchbaseafrica.com/2025/12/04/tunisia-scraps-50-year-forex-rule-to-retain-tech-talent-an
  10. allafrica.com/stories/202001210707.html
  11. fintech.bct.gov.tn/en
  12. arabfintechforum.com/2023/2025/01/20/emerging-fintech-in-tunisia-innovations-and-challenge
  13. siliconafrica.com/2025/07/17/tunisias-buy-now-pay-later-apps-who-offers-it/

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Orientation, not legal advice: verify against the primary sources linked above. Last verified 24 May 2026. Methodology & how to cite · State of Technology Regulation 2026