Will new e-payment regulations boost Gaza's gig economy?

The Palestine Monetary Authority introduced new regulations and licensing to secure and expand electronic payment services, a step that could allow more Gazans to receive remittances for work conducted online for foreign companies.
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The promotion of e-payment systems in Palestine may pay off for young Palestinians in Gaza, who have the skills to work remotely online but have had trouble receiving payments electronically. Image by Hugo Goodridge/Al-Monitor -
Moath al-Amoudi.jpg
Moath al-Amoudi
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GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Palestine Monetary Authority (PMA) on July 31 announced new regulations for the licensing of payment service companies. The new requirements, whose implementation was called for by the 2018 National Plan for the Promotion of the Use of Electronic Payment Systems, should help solve a problem many Palestinians in Gaza face in receiving payments for work performed online.

Hundreds of young Gazans have encountered obstacles having fees or remittances transferred to banks inside Gaza or wired via e-payment cards. Some have experienced delays in payment, while others have lost jobs as a result.

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