Reported cases of fraud involving digital financial services in Rwanda declined by 30.3 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, even as electronic payments continued to expand.
Figures presented by the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) during a press briefing on August 27 show that cases fell from 4,128 in the second quarter of 2025 to 2,879 during the corresponding period of 2026.
This represents a year-on-year reduction of 1,249 cases.
The value of money lost through such fraud also declined by approximately 26 per cent, falling from Rwf637 million to Rwf471 million over the same period.
The reduction occurred as individuals and businesses increasingly adopted electronic payment services.
BNR reported that the value of retail digital payments reached Rwf27.8 trillion during the first six months of 2026, compared with Rwf20.4 trillion during the corresponding period of 2025.
The value of digital payments relative to Rwanda’s gross domestic product also increased from 321 per cent to 341 per cent.
Despite the decline in reported cases and financial losses, BNR said fraud remains a significant operational risk for financial institutions as digital transactions continue to increase.
The central bank indicated that the improvement could reflect measures introduced to strengthen payment security and protect users of digital financial services. “The expansion of financial technology must be accompanied by stronger payment security, consumer protection and trust in digital financial services,” BNR said.
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