Launching mobile money in the DR Congo
The DR Congo is a large and fast-growing market where most adults have no bank account. E-money is regulated by the Banque Centrale du Congo (BCC), and wallets commonly hold both US dollars and Congolese francs.
This guide is also available in:EnglishFrançaisالعربيةKiswahili
Distances are long and cash is king, so the agent network decides success: how many agents, how they get float, and how fast they are paid their commission.
French is the language of business; Swahili, Lingala, Kikongo and Tshiluba are widely spoken. A service that runs in several languages and on USSD reaches far more people than an app alone.
The rules in brief
- Regulator
- Banque Centrale du Congo (BCC)
- Main texts
- BCC Instruction 24 of 2011 on e-money issuers, as amended
- Licence routes
- E-money institution licence from the BCC; or a partner bank
- Minimum capital
- USD 2.5 million paid up, in the 2011 text: confirm the current amount with the BCC
- Interoperability
- Interoperability rules set by the BCC: check the current status of the national switch
- KYC and limits
- Tiered KYC. The 2011 text caps an instrument at USD 3,000, payments at USD 500 a day and USD 2,500 a month, unless the BCC allows more
- Currency
- Congolese franc (CDF) and US dollar (USD)
Summary of published texts, checked on 2026-10-16. Rules change: confirm the current text with the regulator or your lawyer before you apply.
Payment rails to connect
- Mobile money: 4 main operators
- Banks
Methods in Congo - Kinshasa
- Adapter ready
Mobile money
The country's mobile money networks
- Adapter ready
Cards
Debit and credit cards through your acquirer
- Adapter ready
Wallet
Your own wallet (with our mobile money product)
Payouts to: mobile money
Each row is a method type; the networks behind it are set up in your back office as you connect them. Cards go through the acquirer you choose. The list grows as you sign rails.
Launching with PesaBridge, step by step
- 01
Choose your licence route: your own licence, a partner bank or e-money issuer, or a licensed aggregator.
- 02
Build your proposal online: countries, payment rails and plan, in 10 minutes.
- 03
We set up the platform, your brand and the payment rails while you finish the licence file.
- 04
Test with a pilot group of customers, agents and merchants, and with the regulator where required.
- 05
Go live, recruit agents and merchants, and add services and countries as you grow.
Questions
Can wallets hold US dollars and Congolese francs?
Yes. Each customer can have a USD and a CDF account, with exchange at the rates you set.
How do agents get float in remote areas?
Agents top up float from a super-agent, a bank or another agent, and the platform tracks each transfer and commission.
Which languages can the apps use?
French, Swahili and English are ready; Lingala and other languages can be added.
Get a proposal for DR Congo
Pick DR Congo in the proposal builder and get your price, plan and timeline in 10 minutes.