The volume of non-cash payments made with cards within Azerbaijan increased by 26 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, reaching 99.1 billion manats. This growth occurred within the framework of the "Strategy for the Development of the Financial Sector for 2024-2026," which saw the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) implement comprehensive measures alongside government agencies, banks, fintech companies, and international organizations to expand the digital payment environment and enhance innovative technologies.
The CBA told AZERTAC that as part of licensing payment service providers, the regulator issued licenses to three electronic money organizations, two payment organizations, and one operator over the past year. By the end of 2025, the market consisted of 17 electronic money organizations, nine payment organizations, and two operators. The share of non-cash turnover in domestic card transactions rose by 3.4 percentage points to 67.6 percent. Notably, one out of every two contactless payments made via POS terminals in 2025 was conducted using "smart devices."
Significant growth was also recorded in digital banking transfers. During 2025, the number of transfers from customer accounts via paper-based and digital platforms totaled 59.7 million, with a total value of 889.3 billion manats. Digital banking accounted for 94.4 percent of these transfers by number and 82.5 percent by volume. Specifically, internet banking transfers grew by 12.4 percent to 308.9 billion manats, while mobile banking transfers increased by 14.3 percent to 73 billion manats compared to 2024.
This surge in digital finance reflects Azerbaijan's broader economic policy to reduce the shadow economy and modernize the national financial infrastructure. By integrating fintech solutions and promoting cashless habits among salary and social cardholders—where non-cash usage reached 54.2 percent and 20 percent respectively—Azerbaijan continues to align its banking sector with international standards, fostering a more transparent and efficient monetary system in the capital, Baku, and across the regions.
