E-Psule digital payment platform launched in Iraqi Kurdistan

ERBIL,— The Kurdistan Regional Government launched a new digital platform for government bill payments on Tuesday, marking a major step toward modernizing public services in the region.

The e-Psûle system was unveiled in a ceremony attended by Kurdistan Region caretaker Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and Ali Al-Allaq, Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, alongside investors and business leaders from across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

Kurdistan’s prime minister said the launch reflects the government’s ongoing effort to expand digital governance and reform public-sector services.

The platform, developed and fully owned by the KRG, allows citizens to pay government bills electronically, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, without any extra fees or commissions.

Officials said e-Psûle is designed to simplify payments and improve efficiency by providing multiple digital channels for citizens to settle bills securely.

The system aims to replace the decades-long reliance on cash payments and in-person office visits, which have often caused long waits, high administrative costs, and delays for both citizens and government institutions.

The platform can be accessed through mobile applications, participating digital wallets, and partner banks. Payments are processed securely, and digital receipts are issued immediately and stored for future reference.

Initially, the system has been integrated with the Ministry of Electricity, allowing customers to pay Runaki electricity bills online.

Officials said prioritizing the electricity sector would ensure broad public adoption and showcase the platform’s capabilities in a high-demand service area.

Some critics, however, have raised concerns over potential risks to citizen funds. They argue that digitizing government payments and banking sector could give Kurdish authorities the ability to block the accounts of journalists, critics, and activists.

A political analyst Henase Karim told iKurd News that while people in the region are often unable to receive salaries for months or even years, the government is creating a digital system for bill payments.

She described the initiative as part of a “war on cash,” warning that banks and financial institutions run by current regional rulers, who are routinely accused of mass corruption, cannot be trusted.

KRG officials defended the platform, saying it is fully controlled by users. Transactions are initiated by citizens only, and no automatic deductions occur from bank accounts or digital wallets.

The platform reportedly guarantees zero transaction fees for all payment channels, emphasizing that users maintain full control over their payments.

(With files from K24)