KRG Details Strict Banking Standards as 'My Account' Program Exceeds 800,000 Registrations
Aziz Ahmad, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, detailed strict banking standards for the 'My Account' initiative, including a ban on sanctioned institutions, as the program to digitalize public salaries surpasses 800,000 registrations.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – A top official in the Kurdistan Regional Government has outlined the strict and comprehensive criteria that banks must meet to participate in the landmark 'My Account' initiative, emphasizing the program's commitment to international standards, robust consumer infrastructure, and a prohibition on sanctioned financial institutions.
On Saturday, Aziz Ahmad, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, took to the social media platform X to detail the program's requirements. He specified that participating banks must ensure their debit cards are functional for use abroad, maintain a comprehensive branch and ATM network, and adhere to standardized fees.
Conversely, Ahmad clarified that the program strictly excludes any sanctioned or delisted banks, prohibits a "point of cash (agent) model," and forbids the charging of independent, non-standardized fees. The overarching goal, Ahmad emphasized, is that the program requires banks to make tangible investments in retail products, infrastructure, and customer service. He directed the public to the official website at myaccount.gov.krd for more details.
What's special about the KRG's MyAccount programme?
— Aziz Ahmad (@azizkahmad) August 9, 2025
✔️Debit cards must work abroad
✔️Branch and ATM network
✔️Standardised fees
✖️No sanctioned or delisted banks
✖️No point of cash (agent) model
✖️No independent fees
The programme requires banks to invest in retail products,… pic.twitter.com/fEx1RiZ4cz
This clarification of standards comes as the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) announced a significant achievement in the program's rollout. According to an official statement, the 'My Account' initiative has reached a major milestone, successfully registering more than 800,000 public sector employees for digital salary payments.
This marks a significant achievement in the KRG's efforts to digitalize payments for more than one million beneficiaries through licensed banks and is described as a key step towards financial inclusion and modern public services. The project is being implemented in full coordination with the Central Bank of Iraq and seven partner and licensed banks.
The official data provides a breakdown of the 810,140 registered beneficiaries by province: 391,810 in Erbil, 218,175 in Sulaimani, and 200,155 in Duhok.
The program is already in an advanced stage of implementation, as the KRG statement noted that this month, more than 400,000 beneficiaries are actively receiving their salaries digitally through an expansive network of over 400 ATMs located across the Kurdistan Region. The initiative is also expanding beyond the core public sector workforce, with thousands of pensioners currently included in a pilot phase.
The 'My Account' project was first announced by the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, Masrour Barzani, in February 2023. It serves as a central component of the ninth cabinet's strategy to modernize banking services and reduce the region's reliance on cash-based transactions.
