Despite the rapid growth of e-commerce in Egypt — now surpassing $10 billion annually — a surprising and often overlooked reality remains:
Over 85% of online purchases are still paid in cash.
While the rest of the world moves toward digital wallets, cards, and one-click checkouts, Egypt’s online economy is still overwhelmingly Cash-on-Delivery (COD). But why?
And more importantly — why does this matter for the future of digital commerce?
Let’s break it down.
📦 The Problem with COD: Why Egyptians Still Pay in Cash
There are several reasons why cash remains king:
1. Trust Issues
Many buyers don’t trust that what they ordered online will arrive as expected. Paying upfront — without inspecting the item — feels risky.
2. Limited Access to Digital Payments
A significant portion of the population remains underbanked or unbanked, with no access to credit cards or reliable mobile banking.
3. Cultural Habits
Cash is familiar, immediate, and tangible. It’s how most daily transactions — from taxis to groceries — still happen.
4. Merchant Incentives
Many small and mid-sized merchants prefer COD to avoid fees, bank delays, or complex reconciliation.
The result? A system that works — but just barely.
🚨 The Hidden Cost of Cash-on-Delivery
While COD may feel convenient, it causes serious problems across the e-commerce ecosystem:
❌ Up to 40% of orders fail due to fake addresses or buyers refusing to pay
❌ Merchants inflate prices by 10–15% to cover return losses
❌ Couriers waste time and fuel chasing unpaid deliveries
❌ Cash handling risks open the door to theft, loss, and fraud
❌ No financial inclusion — no credit history, no loyalty, no progress
In short: COD holds back growth — for merchants, buyers, and the entire digital economy.
🔐 PeacePay: A Better Way to Pay on Delivery
At PeacePay, we believe trust is the missing layer in COD.
So we built a smart Pay-on-Delivery system that keeps the buyer in control, while protecting merchants and couriers from loss:
- Buyers top up their wallet at checkout
- The money goes into a Secure Payment Hold — not released yet
- At delivery, the buyer inspects the package
- If satisfied, they enter a one-time OTP, and the money is instantly released to the seller and courier
- If not, only the delivery fee is charged — and the item is returned
💡 No cash. No fraud. No mistrust.
Just a smoother, safer, smarter way to transact.
🌍 Why It Matters for the Future
Egypt is just the beginning.
Millions of people across the MENA region, Asia, and Africa face the same challenges: cash-dominated commerce, low trust in online payments, and limited access to financial tools.
By bridging this gap — digitally, but with buyer-first transparency — PeacePay is unlocking a new era of e-commerce: one where trust is built in, not assumed.
📣 Final Thought
The 85% isn't just a statistic — it's an opportunity.
An opportunity to bring millions of transactions into the digital economy.
To improve livelihoods.
To make e-commerce safer and more inclusive.
And to build something better — for everyone involved.
PeacePay is how we get there.