6 vritti August 2020
Changing Lives
Digital self-registration
in Egypt
In Egypt to register for mobile money services,
consumers had to visit a mobile money
retailer, fill-in and sign the subscription form and
verify themselves by showing the National ID.
Consumers receive an SMS with temporary PIN.
Consumers then have to login to the mobile
money service and set a new PIN to start
using their mobile wallet. The registration
process is manual and requires customers to
visit a retailer. However, in the wake of
COVID-19 pandemic, the Central Bank of
Egypt (CBE) allowed mobile money providers to
offer a digital self-registration service,
enabling consumers to register for mobile
money services from the safe environment of
their home.
Taking cue from the central bank, mobile
money services in Egypt – Orange Cash,
Vodafone Cash and Etisalat Cash launched
digital self-registration. Orange Cash was one
of the first to launch digital self-registration in
April 2020. The digital self-registration
process is quick, convenient and hassle-free.
Consumers have to access the Orange Cash
service on mobile phone via #115# USSD
menu or Orange Cash mobile application and
simply enter their national ID and temporary
PIN received via SMS. They further need to
create a new PIN to start using Orange Cash
services. Thus, consumers can subscribe to
the Orange Cash service from their home
without visiting an Orange retailer, preventing
[1]
potential health and hygiene risks .
While the self-registration process is digital, it
does not compromise on security. The
consumers opting for self-registration get a
temporary mobile wallet valid for 3 months
and with a lower wallet balance limit of EGP
10,000 compared to the EGP 50,000 limit of
permanent wallet registered via an Orange
retailer. The consumers’ National ID should
be the one registered with their mobile number.
The consumers can only register for three
wallets on one National ID.
The consumers can upgrade temporary
wallet to permanent wallet by visiting an
Orange shop. Moreover, the consumers
visiting an Orange shop, can book their turns
in advance in the shop’s waiting lines and
monitor their turn through “My Orange” mobile
application while being at home.
The consumers can request money from
other users or cash-in at 10,000 ATMs or
100,000 Fawry outlets and 800 Orange
shops across the country. Many daily wagers
received government grants via Orange
Cash service from the Ministry of Social
[2]
Solidarity . With money in their Orange Cash
wallet, the consumers can transfer money to
other users; recharge airtime and data for
themselves and others; pay electricity, water,
gas and mobile bills; and donate for noble
causes, all from their home.
Introduction of digital self-registration resulted in
unprecedented growth in mobile wallet users
not only for Orange Cash, but for entire
mobile wallet ecosystem in Egypt. As per
National Telecom Regulatory Authority
(NTRA) of Egypt, the number of mobile
wallets in Egypt have increased drastically by
1.2 million in only two months, from 12.3
million mobile wallets in March 2020
(registered in last seven years) to 13.5 million
[3]
mobile wallet in May 2020 .