EthSwitch, Ethiopia’s national financial switch operator, has officially launched EthioPay, a unified national brand for instant digital payment services. The initiative aims to bring the country’s rapidly expanding digital payment ecosystem under one trusted and recognizable identity.

The brand was unveiled at a launch event held at Friendship Park. Speaking at the ceremony, Solomon Desta, Vice Governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia and Chairperson of the EthSwitch Board, stated that EthioPay is “a national asset built on collaboration.” He emphasized that the platform does not replace banks or mobile money services, but rather integrates them into a common, interoperable framework. Its success, he noted, will depend on collective adoption across the financial sector.

EthioPay is designed as a fully integrated and sustainable digital payment ecosystem, bringing together multiple financial actors and services on a single platform. It will serve as a secure and instant channel for digital payments and money transfers, supporting Ethiopia’s transition toward a modern digital economy.

Solomon further highlighted that EthioPay is nationally owned and positioned to shape the future of Ethiopia’s payment landscape, including future cross-border and regional digital transactions. “Today’s launch unites our digital payment systems under a shared national vision,” he said.

EthSwitch CEO Yilebes Addis explained that EthioPay will cover a broad range of interoperable services, including instant money transfers, mobile banking, e-commerce payments, and card schemes. The platform is designed to be secure, affordable, and widely accessible, enabling broader financial inclusion and digital transformation.

He added that EthioPay marks a shift from fragmented digital finance infrastructure to a unified, reliable, and user-friendly system. The brand identity features a bird symbolizing speed and reach, while its orange color represents energy, dynamism, and continuous movement within the financial system.

The official brand launch follows the initial introduction of the instant payment system during the Ethiopia Digital Payment Conference II held on December 9, 2025.