• Algeria introduces electronic stamp duty payments for commercial register filings
• “Tabaakoum” platform enables card-based payments and digital receipt acceptance
• Move supports digitalisation, transparency, and reduced informal economic activity

Algeria’s finance ministry and trade ministry have signed a protocol to introduce electronic stamp duty payments for commercial register filings, the two ministries said in a joint statement on Wednesday.

The agreement enables the use of the “Tabaakoum” digital payment platform for stamp duties linked to commercial registration. Payments can be made via interbank cards or the state-backed Edahabia card.

The digital receipt generated by the platform will now be accepted as official documentation for business registration or modification filings. The move aims to offer more flexibility to businesses and increase the transparency of financial transactions.

The initiative comes as electronic payments see rapid growth in the country. Data from the Monetics Group (GIE Monétique) shows more than 5.2 million payments via electronic terminals between January and July 2025 generated nearly 47.2 billion dinars ($363.8 million), a total that already exceeds all of 2024.

Beyond simplifying procedures for merchants and entrepreneurs, the shift to electronic payments for the commercial register is part of a broader national strategy to modernize public services and reduce the informal economy. The government has recently launched multiple initiatives to expand digital payments, encourage e-commerce and improve online service access in a country where internet penetration now reaches about 77% of the population.

By facilitating commercial registration and reducing the costs and delays linked to in-person procedures, the state aims to improve the competitiveness of the entrepreneurial sector and enhance the traceability and transparency of economic activity.

Samira Njoya