What's in the draft regulations for e-money issuers in Bangladesh?
DEMIs must maintain at least Tk50 crore in paid-up capital, submit a three-year business and risk plan, and keep customer funds in Trust and Settlement Accounts.
The Bangladesh Bank has published a draft of the Regulations for E-Money Issuers, proposing a shift from a bank-led digital payments model to one that also includes licensed non-bank companies.
Under the proposed rules, both banks and independent digital finance firms will be allowed to issue e-money once approved by the central bank.
The framework introduces two categories of e-money issuers:
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- Authorised EMIs (such as banks and financial institutions)
- Dedicated EMIs (DEMIs) – non-bank entities focused solely on e-money and related payment services.
DEMIs must maintain at least Tk50 crore in paid-up capital, submit a three-year business and risk plan, and keep customer funds in Trust and Settlement Accounts.
The draft also requires issuers to ensure strong risk management, multi-factor authentication for high-value transactions, cybersecurity safeguards, and separate governance and audit committees to maintain transparency and oversight.
Violations may lead to fines, licence cancellation, or legal action. Existing MFS and PSP operators will need to apply for new licences once the rules come into effect.
The Bangladesh Bank is collecting stakeholder feedback before finalising the regulations.
