CEMAC (regional) vs Euro Area · Real-time payment systems compared
| Capability | GIMACPay | SEPA Instant |
|---|---|---|
| QR Code Payments | ◐ | — |
| Wallet Support | ✓ | — |
| 24/7 Availability | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cross-Border | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISO 20022 | — | ✓ |
| Request to Pay | — | ✓ |
| Open API | ◐ | ◐ |
| Alias/Proxy | ✓ | ◐ |
CEMAC region's interbank interoperable retail payment platform, operated by GIMAC (Groupement Interbancaire Monétique de l'Afrique Centrale) under BEAC regulatory oversight. Covers six Central African countries (Cameroon, Chad, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea) with a shared XAF rail. Connects banks, microfinance institutions, mobile money operators, payment institutions, public treasuries and fintech aggregators, supporting person-to-person, wallet-to-bank and card-to-wallet transfers across all six countries. Mobile money now accounts for roughly three-quarters of transaction volume.
Pan-European instant credit transfer scheme enabling payments across 36 SEPA countries in under 10 seconds, 24/7/365. Transactions clear through the ECB's TIPS platform or EBA Clearing's RT1 system, with a maximum amount of €100,000. The EU's Instant Payments Regulation (IPR) mandates all eurozone banks to offer SCT Inst by 2025, dramatically expanding reach. Built on ISO 20022, it represents the largest cross-border instant payment zone in the world by number of participating countries. Wero, the digital wallet launched by the European Payments Initiative (EPI) in 2024, runs on SCT Inst rails — Wero transactions are included in these figures.