Morocco Cash Transition: Lower Card Fees 2026

Morocco is slowly moving toward the post-cash era. Starting October 1, 2026, the ceiling on interchange fees applied to card payments will drop from 0.65% to 0.50%. An even lower rate of 0.15% will apply to payments to public administrations and neighborhood shops.

On Bladi.net : Morocco Card Payment Fees Drop 23% in 2026

Officially, the measure is intended to reduce costs borne by merchants and facilitate access to electronic payments. But it is also part of a broader strategy: making bank cards less expensive, more frequent, and then progressively indispensable in everyday use.

The signal is significant. For a long time, many small shops refused cards citing fees, technical constraints, or the habit of cash payment. By lowering commissions, Bank Al-Maghrib removes one of the main arguments against electronic payment.

According to a joint statement from Bank Al-Maghrib and the Competition Council, this reduction also accompanies the opening of the payment acquiring market to multiple operators, following the gradual withdrawal of the Interbank Monetary Center from this activity.

Less Cash, More Traces

The issue goes beyond a simple fee reduction. Cash remains difficult to track, can circulate outside declared channels, and more easily escapes control. Conversely, a card payment leaves a trace, secures the transaction, and integrates into a more formalized economy.

The reform of the monetary sector moves in this direction. The IMC, which held a central position, has been unable to solicit new merchants since November 2024 and was to gradually cede its contract portfolio. The market is thus shifting from a model dominated by a single player to a system open to multiple operators.

For customers, MREs, and tourists, the objective is clear: paying by card should become easier in more shops, including small retailers. For merchants, lower costs make accepting cards harder to refuse.

On Bladi.net : Morocco Slashes Card Payment Fees for Merchants, Boosting Digital Economy

Morocco is not banning cash. But it is preparing the ground to gradually reduce its role. First through incentives, with lower fees and wider availability. Tomorrow, perhaps, through stricter rules for certain payments.