The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Afghanistan’s Taliban-controlled central bank said it has removed nearly 15 billion Afghanis (about $200 million) in worn-out banknotes from circulation over the past four years as part of efforts to stabilize the currency and promote digital banking.
In a video statement released this week, Da Afghanistan Bank
said expanding digital banking remains one of its top priorities. The bank
urged citizens to handle paper money carefully and to switch to digital payment
systems by obtaining electronic cards through local banks.
The central bank said millions of damaged Afghan banknotes
are destroyed each year to prevent their continued use in the market.
Despite international sanctions and limited access to
foreign reserves, the Taliban government has continued basic financial
operations since taking power in 2021. The push for digital transactions comes
as Afghanistan faces a fragile banking system and a largely cash-based economy.
