Money and banking
Currency, cash, cards and withdrawals.
Currency and cash
The currency is the Congolese franc (CDF), unavailable abroad. The economy is cash-based and US dollars are widely used: bring recent notes (printed after 2009) in perfect condition or they will be refused; 1-dollar notes are hardly accepted anywhere.
Cards and withdrawals
Cards are mostly accepted in large hotels, restaurants and supermarkets in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi. ATMs remain rare and not always working; have your card enabled for withdrawals outside the EU.
Accounts and mobile money
According to the World Bank (Global Findex, 2024 survey), 39% of adults have an account, at a bank or with mobile money, and 35% have a mobile money account (payments and transfers by phone). To open a mobile money account, ask the mobile operators which documents they require and what the fees are.
Verified factVerified on 10/2/26High confidenceWorld Bank, Global Findex 2025 database (accounts and mobile money, adults aged 15 and over)
Sources for this guide
- France Diplomatie, Travel advice: Democratic Republic of the Congo, useful information · Source updated: September 15, 2026 · Checked on October 2, 2026
- Government of Canada, Travel advice: Democratic Republic of the Congo · Source updated: September 28, 2026 · Checked on October 2, 2026
- SPF Affaires étrangères (Belgium), Democratic Republic of the Congo: practical information · Source updated: January 1, 2026 · Checked on October 2, 2026
- World Bank, Global Findex 2025 database (accounts and mobile money, adults aged 15 and over) · Source updated: October 6, 2025 · Checked on October 2, 2026
AfriPilot is not an official body. Information comes from the sources cited and may change: each source's date is shown.