CBE Conducts 92% of Customer Transactions Digitally as National Turnover Tops 30trn Birr

October 30, 2026 | By Semahegn Nigatu

The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) conducts 92 percent of its customer transactions through digital channels, which also process 73 percent of the country's annual transaction value of more than 30 trillion birr, highlighting the bank's central role in Ethiopia's increasingly digital financial system.

The figures were disclosed by CBE President Abe Sano at the opening of the bank's Cybersecurity Month Conference and Exhibition, where he outlined the scale of its digital banking operations and the need to strengthen security as electronic transactions expand.

CBE serves more than 48 million customers, with more than 46 million using its digital banking services, according to the bank.

The growing volume of transactions handled through digital platforms has prompted the bank to strengthen its cybersecurity systems. Abe said CBE was deploying artificial intelligence to improve its ability to protect digital services and was restructuring its internal technology systems under a zero-trust security framework.

The zero-trust model requires users and devices to undergo verification before accessing systems and resources, rather than automatically trusting connections within an organisation's network.

The bank did not disclose the amount allocated to its cybersecurity investments or provide a timeline for implementing the measures.

CBE's digital services allow customers to transfer funds and make payments without visiting branches. The bank also provides agent banking services in rural and remote areas, extending access to financial services beyond its physical branch network.

Digital banking has also reduced customers' reliance on cash transactions and enabled them to monitor account balances and track their income and expenditure through mobile platforms.

However, the expansion of digital financial services has increased the importance of protecting banking systems, customer information and electronic payment channels against cyber threats.

Abe said the bank would continue investing in the security and accessibility of its digital services while working to improve public awareness of digital banking security.

Source: FSX Business News