The Bank of Mozambique has authorized 11 financial technology companies to begin testing under the 6th edition of its Regulatory Sandbox, reinforcing its commitment to modernizing the national financial system and expanding access to banking services across the country.
The selected companies were chosen from 19 applications, with a total of 33 innovative solutions submitted for evaluation by the regulator. These proposals cover areas such as digital payments, microcredit provision, electronic identification, insurance, financial education, and consumer protection, all with significant potential to impact populations currently excluded from the formal banking system.
With this measure, the central bank aims to create a controlled environment where solutions can be safely tested before entering the market fully. This approach helps mitigate operational and technological risks while ensuring the stability of the financial system. The Regulatory Sandbox is one of the strategic tools integrated into the National Financial Inclusion Strategy 2025–31, designed to create an inclusive, efficient, and secure digital ecosystem. By providing conditions for the regulated experimentation of technological solutions, the Bank of Mozambique seeks to stimulate sector competitiveness, reduce transaction costs, and increase trust in digital financial services.
It is estimated that, with the approval of these 11 fintechs, thousands of citizens could benefit from new products and services tailored to their needs, thereby promoting financial inclusion in both urban and rural areas. In addition, strengthening the digital ecosystem could represent a significant economic boost, with the potential to move hundreds of millions of meticais in the coming years, amounting to tens of millions of dollars in formal transactions.
The launch of this new Sandbox phase marks another decisive step by the regulator in aligning the national financial system with global trends in digitization and innovation, placing Mozambique on a path toward greater technological and financial integration.
Text: Felisberto Ruco
