Digital payments, Ibrahimaj: Albania among developed countries - 'Cashless Albania 2030', the transformation of payments starts in 2026
Albania is positioned among the most developed countries that have adopted the most advanced payment models without physical cash, with the launch of the "Cashless Albania 2030" initiative.
The Minister of Economy and Innovation announces that the country's economic and digital transformation, which is expected to begin in early 2026, is based on three main pillars: increasing the use of electronic payments, to reduce dependence on physical money; the gradual ban on cash transactions, where the use of cash is expected to be reduced in every sector; and the modernization of the financial infrastructure, orienting the market towards modern payment methods, as well as for a formal, transparent and competitive economy.
The model that Albania aims to follow is similar to global best practices towards cashless economies.
But which countries use the cashless system?
Sweden is the most advanced cashless model in the world, with only 1% of transactions being carried out with physical cash. Similarly, Norway is the country with the lowest cash usage in Europe, where banks have reduced physical cash counters.
In Asia, Singapore has created a modern instant payments ecosystem through PayNow and a unified national QR. On the other hand, in Europe, the Netherlands is the European standard for digital payments, where debit cards and online payments account for over 95% of transactions.
Denmark is also gradually eliminating cash, achieving this through strong investments in financial education.
With the implementation of the "Cashless Albania 2030" initiative, Albania aims to follow this advanced model for a modern, digitalized economy.
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