In Casablanca, the Interbank Electronic Banking Center has taken a decisive step toward reshaping Morocco’s digital payment ecosystem. At a high-level gathering attended by key industry players, the organization unveiled a landmark initiative—the Casablanca Payment Agreement—which paves the way for an open, neutral, and interoperable payments platform. This move signals a shift in strategy, opening the CMI’s infrastructure to new acquirers and fostering a more competitive market.
More than 150 representatives from banks, payment institutions, professional associations, regulators, global payment networks, and tech partners came together for this pivotal event. The common goal: to build trust, boost innovation, and drive broader adoption of card payments nationwide.
The CMI’s transformation is rooted in decades of experience and innovation. Having first emerged in the 1970s, Morocco’s electronic payments landscape has evolved steadily, with the CMI itself established in 2001. Since then, it has built a robust infrastructure spanning more than 80,000 merchant locations and processing over 200 million transactions in 2024 alone—70 percent of which were contactless.
In May 2025, the CMI hit a major milestone by becoming an open technical platform. That development was made official during the Casablanca event and allows new operators to offer their own acquiring services. Several players—Al Filahi Cash, Attijari Payment, Damane Cash, Lanacash, M2T, Saham Pay, and CDM Pay—are already active on the platform, with four more currently in the approval pipeline.
What’s remarkable is how swiftly this transition has taken place. Within just six months, seven acquirers were fully operational, 2,000 merchants were onboarded, and transaction volumes began to ramp up steadily. In an industry known for slow implementation, this pace has been described as nothing short of exceptional. The rapid rollout was made possible through a strategy focused on technical continuity and resource sharing, all while encouraging healthy market competition.
CMI’s CEO, Rachid Saihi, highlighted the importance of this shift. He emphasized that existing merchants and customers have experienced no disruption, while gaining access to a broader array of services and faster innovation. This dual benefit—stability with added value—has been central to the success of the platform’s evolution.
Looking ahead, the CMI plans to shift its focus toward enhancing the quality and diversity of its offerings. Future development will aim to deliver payment solutions tailored to market demands and aligned with international standards. The goals for 2026 are clear: support the growth of new acquirers, help merchants transition to these expanded services, and solidify an open, inclusive, and competitive infrastructure.
All of this fits squarely within the framework of Morocco’s broader digital transformation agenda. The Casablanca Payment Agreement represents more than just a technical upgrade—it’s a strategic move aligned with the Digital Morocco 2030 vision, which positions digitization as a core driver of the country’s economic modernization.
