How do people in Afghanistan pay online?
Cash dominates. The World Bank wrote in 2023 that the country remains mostly reliant on physical afghani and US dollar banknotes, with hawala money service providers supplying many everyday financial services. In the 2021 Global Findex only 10% of adults had an account at a financial institution, including mobile money accounts. DataReportal counts 11.3 million internet users in late 2025, 25.5% of the population, and 22.4 million mobile connections.
Electronic payments run through a national switch. The Afghanistan Payments System (APS), a directorate of Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), has operated as the national e-payment switch since January 2021. It acts as a commercial payment gateway, connects financial institutions, electronic money institutions and payment institutions, promotes the domestic AfPay card scheme and links institutions to international card schemes. It also carries public payments such as customs duties, income tax and electricity bills.
Cards were rare before 2021. World Bank Findex data for 2017, cited by CashEssentials, showed 2.7% of adults with a debit card, 1.1% with a credit card and 0.9% with a mobile money account. Google Pay is listed by Google for online payments in Afghanistan, and Afghanistan is not on Apple’s list of Apple Pay countries.
What rules shape online payments in Afghanistan?
The central bank is pushing electronic payments. In January 2026 DAB met the Association of Electronic Money and Payment Institutions to discuss a general strategy for expanding electronic payments, approved by the Prime Minister’s Office, and a decree on collecting revenue through digital systems. In March 2025 DAB and the Ministry of Finance agreed to link DAB’s clearing system and APS with the ministry’s systems for electronic revenue collection and digital salary payments.
Cross-border payments are limited. The World Bank notes that de-risking by international banks has made international payments through banking channels rare, and that the country is largely cut off from formal international payment channels. It also notes liquidity constraints and withdrawal limits at banks.
Sanctions rules apply to some parties. On 25 February 2022 the US Treasury issued a general licence authorising commercial and financial transactions involving Afghanistan and its governing institutions. It excludes financial transfers to the Taliban, the Haqqani Network and associated entities, transfers to blocked individuals in leadership roles of governing institutions, and luxury goods and services. Merchants should check how these rules apply to them and to their providers.
How would Omno route payments in Afghanistan?
A merchant would connect once and set routing rules per method, currency and customer group. In Afghanistan:
- Card pay-ins would go only to providers that accept the market under their own compliance policies, with cascading: if a provider is unavailable or rejects the request, the payment moves to the next provider in the rule until one accepts.
- Local methods such as AfPay cards or licensed wallets would need a provider connected to APS or the wallet operator before they could be offered.
- Customer groups could see different methods, for example cards and Google Pay for customers abroad and local options where a provider supports them.
Webhooks would report the final status of every payment, and the routing-decision log would show which provider handled each payment and why.
What should merchants plan for?
Plan for limited provider coverage. International banks have de-risked from Afghanistan, so confirm which providers in your routing rules accept the market.
Plan for low card use. Few adults hold cards or accounts, so online sales will reach a small share of shoppers.
Plan for compliance checks. Screen customers and transfers against the sanctions rules that apply to your business and your providers.