Payments
E-commerce
SMEs

How can a business accept CIB and Edahabia card payments online?

An Algerian business accepts card payments online through three official bodies: its bank (Internet-sale contract, file transmission), GIE Monétique (decision and operating authorization) and SATIM (technical certification after tests on the test platform, then production). Two cards matter: CIB, issued by banks, and Edahabia, issued by Algérie Poste, the postal operator. Fees are set by each bank: BDL publishes its official tariff and announces 15-day certification if the site is finalized, as of October 2026.

Key points

Two cards power online payment in Algeria: CIB, issued by banks, and Edahabia, issued by Algérie Poste on postal current accounts.
Two official bodies run the system: GIE Monétique (regulation, site homologation) and SATIM (technical platform, certification).
Everything starts at the bank: an Internet-sale contract with the acquiring bank, which transmits the file to GIE Monétique.
Integration goes through SATIM’s test platform first, then production once certification and authorization are granted.
Fees are set by each bank: BDL publishes its tariff (DZD 50,000 excl. tax first-year membership; DZD 10 excl. tax up to DZD 5,000, then 0.7%, capped at DZD 300).

CIB vs Edahabia: one platform, two cardholder bases

Both cards run on the same SATIM e-payment platform; one bank file covers both.

Element	CIB card	Edahabia card	What it means for you
Issuer	Member banks of the interbank network	Algérie Poste, on postal current accounts (CCP)	Enabling both cards widens your buyer base
Technical standard	Interbank network, EMV standard	EMV card linked to a postal account	Same security level for your collections
Payment platform	SATIM e-payment platform, authorized by GIE Monétique	The same platform (Algérie Poste is a GIE Monétique member)	One bank file covers both cards (per BDL)
Payment confirmation	6-digit e-payment password by SMS plus 3-D Secure	OTP code by SMS	The cardholder confirms each payment — you are protected too

What is the CIB card and who runs the system?

CIB (Carte Interbancaire, the interbank card) is the domestic payment card issued by Algerian banks: ATM withdrawals, payments at merchant terminals (TPE) and online payment. The interbank card system is regulated by GIE Monétique, a community body created in June 2014 that brings together the banks and Algérie Poste. The technical operator is SATIM, created in 1995, a subsidiary of seven public banks (BADR, BDL, BEA, BNA, CPA, CNEP, Al Baraka) and the insurer CNMA: it runs the interbank network, the terminals and the online payment platform. Online payment by CIB card has been officially operational since October 2016 (GIE Monétique).

What is the Edahabia card, and is it accepted alongside CIB?

Edahabia is Algérie Poste’s electronic payment and withdrawal card, EMV-standard, backed by a postal current account (CCP). It is ordered through BaridiNet or the Edahabia space (edcarte.poste.dz). Because Algérie Poste is a GIE Monétique member, Edahabia payments run on the same interbank platform as CIB. In practice, the web-merchant membership accepts "any type of CIB card issued by all banks in Algeria as well as the Edahabia card from Algérie Poste" (BDL). Each payment is confirmed by an OTP code received by SMS (Algérie Poste).

How does a business become a web merchant: the file and who decides

The official path, as described by BDL and SATIM: open a professional account at the bank; file the request to "join the online payment system" at the branch; the bank signs the Internet-sale contract and transmits the file to GIE Monétique, which issues an agreement in principle first and the operating authorization at the end; in between, SATIM certifies the site technically. SATIM also requires filing the request on www.cibweb.dz with the trade register (registre de commerce). Law no. 18-05 of 10 May 2018 subjects e-commerce to registration in the trade register (or the craft register) and to publishing a site hosted in Algeria with the .com.dz extension.

How does the technical integration work, from test mode to production?

Always in this order: SATIM activates the test environment of its platform and gives the web merchant web-service access and test cards; you develop and integrate the payment module on your site following the technical documentation; a series of tests is run with SATIM; once tests pass, SATIM validates the certification and GIE Monétique issues the production agreement; SATIM then provides production access and the site goes live, after which it is listed on the GIE Monétique website (BDL). Test mode is not optional: no site reaches production without certification.

What does it cost? The published official figures

Each bank sets its own tariffs. BDL publishes its official tariff schedule (as of October 2026): DZD 50,000 excl. tax membership in the first year; then an annual subscription based on the previous year’s transaction volume — free up to 1,000 transactions, DZD 10,000 from 1,001 to 10,000, DZD 50,000 from 10,001 to 50,000, DZD 100,000 from 50,001 to 100,000, DZD 150,000 above 100,000; SATIM platform tests at DZD 10,000 excl. tax per working day; transaction commissions — DZD 10 excl. tax fixed for amounts up to DZD 5,000, 0.7% of the amount above, capped at DZD 300; refund commission DZD 8 excl. tax. The cardholder pays nothing. Ask your own bank for its tariff sheet.

Delays, refunds and security: what official sources say

Delays: GIE Monétique rules on the request in under 24 hours (SATIM); BDL announces certification within 15 days if the site is finalized. Refunds: card refunds are supported on the platform (BDL), and Law 18-05 gives the e-consumer a refund within 15 days from receiving the returned product. Security: internet card payment is only allowed on GIE Monétique-homologated sites, with encrypted exchanges and 3-D Secure authentication; the EMV standard governs the cards; SATIM’s call centre 3020 is available 24/7. Minimum payment: DZD 100 (BDL). Official figures confirm the trend: 27.1 million operations worth DZD 145 billion in 2025 (+179% in value year on year) and 4.09 million operations in July 2026 alone (GIE Monétique). Real-world example: Somu Raqami integrated CIB/Edahabia e-payment for the learning platform somuacademy.com.

FAQ

Where do I start?

At your bank branch: open a professional account, then file the request to join the online payment system. The bank transmits the file to GIE Monétique and follows the technical setup with SATIM.

Does one file cover both CIB and Edahabia?

Yes. BDL officially states that the web-merchant membership accepts all CIB cards, whatever the issuing bank, plus the Edahabia card from Algérie Poste.

How long does certification take?

GIE Monétique rules on the application in under 24 hours (SATIM). BDL announces a 15-day certification period if the site is finalized, excluding the technical testing time.

Is there a minimum amount per payment?

Yes: the minimum amount for an online payment is 100 DA, as BDL publishes in its official web-merchant tariff table (as of October 2026). Below that amount the card payment is not available; cash on delivery or another local method covers smaller payments.

How do I refund a customer?

Card refunds are supported on the platform, with a DZD 8 excl. tax refund commission at BDL. Law 18-05 requires the e-supplier to refund within 15 days of receiving the returned product.

Is online payment secure?

Yes, under current standards: internet card payment is only allowed on GIE Monétique-homologated sites, with encrypted exchanges and 3-D Secure authentication, and EMV-standard cards. SATIM’s call centre 3020 is available 24/7.

Does the cardholder pay a fee?

No: online payment is free for the cardholder, and commissions are fully borne by the web merchant (BDL).

Somu Raqami resources

CIB / Edahabia e-payment integrationWe prepare the bank file with you, support the SATIM certification and install the payment module on your site through to production.Web merchant website developmentA compliant site (HTTPS, legal notices, terms of sale) is a prerequisite for SATIM certification.File readiness auditWe check the trade register, .com.dz hosting and the site before filing.