Editing Economy of Egypt (section)

==== Banking ====
{{See also|List of banks in Egypt}}
The [[Central Bank of Egypt]] is the [[National Reserve Bank|national reserve bank]], regulating the [[financial market]] and the [[Egyptian pound]]. Egypt’s banking sector has undergone major reforms since the 1990s, resulting in a liberalized and modernized system aligned with international standards. By late 2024, total bank assets reached approximately 21 trillion Egyptian pounds (USD 420 billion), a significant rise from EGP 633 billion (USD 101 billion) in 2004.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ceicdata.com/en/egypt/balance-sheet-aggregate-all-banks/all-banks-assets-aggregate | title=All Banks Assets Aggregate – Egypt | publisher=CEIC Data | access-date=28 February 2025 }}</ref>

Egypt’s banking system dates back to 1856, evolving through privatization, mergers, and foreign bank exits, such as [[Société Générale]]'s 2012 sale of [[National Société Générale Bank]] to [[QNB Al Ahli]].<ref>{{Cite news|first1=Lionel|last1=Laurent|first2=Dinesh|last2=Nair|date=2012-12-12|title=SocGen sells Egypt arm to QNB for $2 billion|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-socgen-egypt-idUSBRE8BB1JQ20121212|access-date=2020-11-26}}</ref> Despite private sector growth, state-owned commercial banks remain dominant.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nasr |first=Sarah |title=Access to Finance and Economic Growth in Egypt |publisher=The World Bank}}</ref>

Financial inclusion has expanded, with 74.8% of Egyptians aged 15 and above using financial accounts, reaching 52 million users by 2024.<ref name=fin-inclusion>{{cite news | url=https://www.egypt-business.com/web/details/2509-74-of-eligible-egyptians-actively-using-bank-accounts/435737 | title=74% of Eligible Egyptians Actively Using Bank Accounts | date=27 February 2025 | access-date=27 February 2025 }}</ref> Usage spans banks, [[Egypt Post]], mobile wallets like Vodafone Cash and MobiCash, and prepaid cards like [[Meeza]]. Women’s financial inclusion grew 295% since 2016 thanks to policies and initiatives aimed at empowering women financially, reaching 68.8%, while youth participation rose 65% from 2020 to 2024, hitting 53.1%.<ref name="fintech" />

The fintech sector has expanded 5.5-fold since 2020, with 177 startups ranking Egypt 10th among emerging markets. Growth, driven by digital payments, lending platforms, and B2B marketplaces, is bolstered by financial inclusion policies.<ref name=fintech>{{cite news | url=https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/541157.aspx | title=Egypt’s Fintech Sector Expands Fivefold in Five Years | date=27 February 2025 | access-date=27 February 2025 }}</ref> With over 60% of the population under 30, youth adoption is high, though cybersecurity risks, regulatory gaps, and digital literacy disparities remain challenges.<ref name="fintech" />