Lebanon Formalizes Fintech Market With New Rules, $150 Million Project

France’s fintech ecosystem is centered in Paris and spans digital payments, online banking, insurtech and digital asset services. It is jointly regulated by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) and the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (ACPR). The EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), fully applicable since December 30, 2024, has also ushered French firms into a new phase of cross-border compliance competition.

In 2026, the market’s focus is shifting to instant payments, AI-powered risk management and embedded finance. Firms must also implement the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), which has applied since January 17, 2025. The reports provide no latest funding figures or company counts, making it impossible to confirm the market’s size in 2026. Overall competitiveness will depend on whether firms can absorb compliance costs and expand across the EU single market.

Laos has an economy of about $17 billion and GDP per capita of roughly $2,700, and has long relied on hydropower, mining, agriculture and tourism. Limited banking coverage in rural areas has made digital finance critical to closing service gaps. The government is advancing the transition through its National Digital Economy Strategy 2021–2030, while BCEL One from Banque pour le Commerce Extérieur Lao (BCEL) is a major mobile banking service.

A May 23, 2026, review by The Fintech Times found that Laos had about 25 active fintech companies, concentrated in mobile payments, remittances and digital wallets. World Bank data showed that only about 45% of adults had access to formal financial services in 2025, while mobile penetration had already exceeded 70%. The Bank of the Lao P.D.R. has also expanded cross-border interoperability between Lao QR and Thailand's PromptPay and continues to pursue payment integration with Vietnam.

Fintech growth in the Middle East is being driven by widespread smartphone adoption, a young population and government digital-transformation policies. In Iraq, where cash transactions remain prevalent and access to banking services is limited, digital payments and financial inclusion have become key priorities. The Central Bank of Iraq's regulatory approach and cooperation among banks, telecommunications companies and payment providers will be crucial to the market's ability to expand.

The report uses 2026 as its reference point and focuses on digital payments, financial innovation and market opportunities in Iraq. However, the available event data does not disclose the report's publication date, transaction values, user numbers or investment levels. The latest confirmed development is Iraq's inclusion in an analysis of the Middle East's fintech ecosystem, with the country viewed as a market with potential in the region's digital financial transformation.

Libya’s fintech expansion is rooted in economic reconstruction after years of conflict, institutional fragmentation, chronic cash shortages and low trust in banks. Oil and gas still generate more than 90% of exports, while GDP per capita is about $7,500, masking sharp disparities in access and recovery. With banking infrastructure thin outside Tripoli, digital payments are becoming a practical route to more efficient government disbursements, broader financial inclusion and a less cash-dependent economy.

A Fintech Times review published April 22, 2026 estimated that Libya has roughly 20 fintech and digital-finance providers, mainly in payments and bank-led services. Internet penetration is about 75%, mobile penetration exceeds 100%, yet only around 40% of adults have a formal bank account. The Central Bank of Libya is expanding POS and card infrastructure, electronic salary payments and mobile wallets, while new rules allow legally resident foreigners to access e-wallets. Visa has also grouped Libya with Egypt and Sudan in a new subregional structure.

Jordan has made fintech a pillar of economic modernisation, using digital services to offset limited natural resources and widen access for a young, connected population. Amman anchors the sector, housing the Central Bank of Jordan, major lenders including Arab Bank and much of the startup base. The REACH 2025 digital strategy, internet penetration above 90%, and the Financial Inclusion Strategy for 2023-2028 underpin efforts to serve women, youth, small and medium-sized enterprises and refugee communities.

A Fintech Times review published on April 17, 2026, estimated that Jordan hosts about 200 fintech companies and startups spanning payments, lending, insurtech and digital banking, including MadfooatCom, Liwwa and Dinarak. In 2025, the country recorded more than 184 million digital-payment transactions worth over $38 billion. Real-time systems handled nearly 140 million transfers valued at about $24 billion, while card payments topped 350 million transactions and electronic bill payments exceeded 66 million. JoPACC-operated CliQ and the CBJ regulatory sandbox remain central to expansion.

Lesotho’s fintech market matters less for its scale than for its role in widening access to finance. The landlocked kingdom, encircled by South Africa, has GDP per capita of about $1,300 and relies on textiles, remittances, agriculture and government services. With bank branches scarce outside Maseru, mobile-led finance is becoming essential for rural users, small and medium-sized enterprises and cross-border commerce. World Bank and United Nations Capital Development Fund-backed strategies have put connectivity, digital payments and financial inclusion at the center of economic development.

The Fintech Times reported on April 15, 2026, that mobile penetration had reached about 90%, though smartphone adoption and internet quality remained uneven. An estimated 45% to 50% of adults hold a formal financial account, while the number of active fintech and digital-finance providers remains below 30. The Central Bank of Lesotho is developing a National Payments Strategy. Activity remains concentrated in M-Pesa Lesotho, Zimbabwe’s EcoCash, state-owned Lesotho PostBank, Chaperone’s Chap C-Pay and digital services from Standard Lesotho Bank.

Linking the North African and Middle Eastern markets, Egypt’s fintech sector has grown from regulatory experiments and an emerging startup scene into one of Africa’s “Big Four” ecosystems. FinTech Egypt counts more than 177 fintech startups and payment service providers across more than 14 subsectors. Backed by Egypt Vision 2030 and the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), the industry has become a key driver of financial inclusion and economic digitalization.

The Fintech Times published its review on March 28, 2026. Egypt has more than 116 million mobile subscriptions, 90 million internet users and over 54 million active users of digital financial services. The market is projected to grow from $765 million in 2024 to nearly $2.9 billion by 2033. The CBE issued licensing rules for payment providers in 2025, while Visa partnered with MNT-Halan in 2026 to expand card issuance and digital payments.