فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Abdellatif Jouahri, Governor of Bank Al-Maghrib, announced significant progress in digital currency experiments and financial services reforms in Morocco during the opening of the 2025 African Central Banks Association seminar held in Rabat. Jouahri revealed that the central bank successfully conducted a pilot experiment using the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) for peer-to-peer retail payments.
He also announced the launch of a second experiment, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Egypt and supported by the World Bank, focusing on cross-border money transfers. Jouahri emphasized that the CBDC, as a sovereign currency, represents a promising option for digital payments both at wholesale and retail levels, with ongoing legal and regulatory studies to support the project’s implementation.
Jouahri stated that Bank Al-Maghrib, with support from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has carried out comprehensive studies to define the strategic objectives of the CBDC and assess its potential macroeconomic impacts and effects on payment systems. These studies are fundamental for establishing appropriate regulatory frameworks.
Regarding crypto-assets, Jouahri disclosed the finalization of a draft law aiming to establish a legal framework for their use. The framework seeks to adequately protect consumers and investors, enhance market integrity by combating fraud, manipulation, money laundering, and terrorist financing, and safeguard financial stability. He stressed the necessity of regulating crypto-assets and stablecoins, which, according to the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), do not possess the attributes of a public currency. These instruments pose risks related to money laundering and excessive disintermediation that could undermine the financial system’s integrity and resilience.
On financial digitalization, Jouahri noted that Morocco’s traditional banks are driving the current technological transformations, supported by an agile payment institution sector and a rapidly developing fintech ecosystem. He highlighted the recent establishment of the Morocco FinTech Center, a public-private partnership platform dedicated to supporting innovative projects and strengthening a dynamic and inclusive digital ecosystem.
Jouahri underlined the importance of ongoing dialogue with fintech companies to offer a flexible regulatory framework tailored to the specificities of their services and to promote collaboration between established players and new entrants. In parallel, Bank Al-Maghrib, in coordination with its partners, has implemented critical technical and legal prerequisites for expanding digital financial services, including electronic signatures, biometric authentication via digital identity, and regulation of cloud computing usage.
He also revealed ongoing projects under review, including the development of a regulatory framework for Open Banking and the reinforcement of data protection regulations to address new challenges arising from technological innovations within the banking sector.
These developments reflect Morocco’s sustained efforts to advance financial digital transformation and consolidate its position within the fintech ecosystem, aiming to achieve sustainable economic growth while ensuring financial stability and consumer protection.
