Mastercard and Lebanon’s central bank are collaborating on programs intended to help smaller businesses and women entrepreneurs accept digital payments, as policymakers try to reduce the country’s dependence on cash.
Mastercard has announced a collaboration with Banque du Liban, Lebanon’s central bank, aimed at expanding digital payment acceptance among small and medium-sized enterprises and women-led businesses. The initiative will involve other participants in the country’s payments ecosystem, although neither organization has published a complete list of those stakeholders.
Under the arrangement, Mastercard will support programs focused on payment acceptance, financial inclusion and business development.
Card Use Rises From a Low Base
The collaboration comes as card activity in Lebanon is showing signs of recovery. Payment-card transaction volumes increased 130% during the first eight months of 2026 compared with the corresponding period of 2025, Banque du Liban Vice Governor Makram Bou Nassar said at a Beirut press conference. The value of those transactions rose by more than 50%, according to L’Orient Today’s report from the event.
Growth varied considerably between industries. The share of payments made by card reportedly increased from 8% to 12% at gas stations and from 16% to 23% at pharmacies. Restaurants recorded a rise from 15% to 35%, while the card share at large supermarkets climbed from 17% to 36%. Medium-sized supermarkets moved from 7.5% to 20%, illustrating both the recent acceleration and the substantial role that cash continues to play.
Lebanon’s central bank has also intervened in transaction pricing. Banque du Liban previously capped card-payment commissions at 1.25% for several essential sectors, including supermarkets, hospitals, pharmacies, bakeries and gas stations. Mastercard and Visa separately reduced the commission ceiling for payments made to the Finance Ministry to 0.9%, compared with rates generally reported at between 2% and 2.5%. Lower fees may make card acceptance more workable for merchants operating on narrow margins, but equipment costs, connectivity and confidence in the financial system could still influence adoption.
Expanding Access for Entrepreneurs
Mastercard said its involvement will place particular emphasis on SMEs and women entrepreneurs. The initiative is intended to help participating businesses strengthen their presence in Lebanon’s developing digital economy while giving customers more flexibility in how they pay.
Mohamed Assem, Mastercard’s country manager for Egypt, Lebanon and Iraq, said: “At Mastercard, we believe that acceptance is the foundation of a thriving digital economy. Through this collaboration with Banque du Liban, we are supporting SMEs and women entrepreneurs access the tools, capabilities and resources they need to embrace digital payments, reach more customers and participate more fully in the digital economy.”
Greater access to digital payments could help smaller businesses serve customers beyond traditional face-to-face transactions. Women entrepreneurs operating from home, online or through small storefronts may also gain additional ways to collect payments and connect with customers.
The collaboration also brings together the central bank’s knowledge of Lebanon’s financial landscape and Mastercard’s experience in payment networks. Further information about merchant enrollment, training and the payment solutions offered would provide a clearer picture of how the initiative will operate and how its progress will be measured.
In practice, the initiative’s relevance will be determined by the experience of business owners themselves. If digital acceptance becomes straightforward and affordable, smaller merchants could offer customers greater payment choice while building a more flexible foundation for future commerce.
