💸 Eid traditions in Egypt (and the region) have held strong for centuries, from the first-day feast to the weekend-long kahk hauls and the preceding wardrobe revamp, there’s plenty to look forward to come the end of Ramadan. One such tradition that has cemented itself as a core pillar of the season is none other than the Eidiya, a practice in which parents, relatives, and family friends bestow the young ones in the clan with a certain amount of money — perhaps varying by kinship, age, and just how much of a “good kid” the recipient was that year.

The history of the Eidiya

The Eidiya is a rite of passage — a gift given with no expectations of reciprocity. Beyond spreading joy, Eidiyas have long been a means through which parents taught their younger children the basics of financing and saving. For a child, nothing beats a stack of fresh, crisp banknotes that smell of possibility (and a subsequent run to the store).

This has been the case since as far back as the 10th century in Cairo, allegedly, when Eidiyas began as a form of state-distributed boon to appease the masses. In the centuries that followed, Eidiyas took on myriad forms, eventually taking the form we know today during the Ottoman Era, when they became less of a state responsibility, and more of a cultural expectation.

In recent years, that has evolved, too. Today, Eidiyas are no longer strictly limited to monetary gifts from eldest to youngest, but have become common between lovers, friends, and — at times — even coworkers. Some banknotes in hand just isn’t cutting it anymore, and a slew of Egyptian businesses have come up with creative ways to deliver the honorary cashtip — from custom gift packs to dedicated Eidiya envelopes.

The rise of the digital Eidiya

As the MENA region — and Egypt in particular — undergoes a massive digital infrastructure transformation, we’ve been witnessing first-hand how the act of giving the Eidiya has changed. eGift cards, for example, have seen a growth in popularity, particularly around Ramadan and Eid, with Riyadh-based tech company You Got a Gift wagering on the digital shift, offering pre-paid Eidiya cards for corporates. Digital banknotes as a gift isn’t a rare sight in Om El Donia either, with Telda embracing the notion across various annual holidays and occasions.

There’s a lot of potential for Egypt’s fintech players, take a look at China. For centuries, Chinese families celebrated the Spring Festival and other special occasions by exchanging Hongbao — red envelopes filled with physical banknotes. In January 2014, one tech giant Tencent digitized this custom by launching “Red Packets” within its messaging app, WeChat. These packets, however, weren’t your run-of-the-mill monetary gifts, they were gamified — a pool of money randomized to send different amounts to selected beneficiaries. In short: It took a tradition, made use of the rapidly growing shift in digital infrastructure, and most importantly, made it fun.

Within days of launch, over 20 mn digital envelopes were exchanged — a year later? 3.2 bn. A long-held tradition thus reinvented itself, offering — for users — convenience, and for businesses, a goldmine. According to Jumia Egypt CEO Abdellatif Olama, there are plenty of lessons to be learned there for Egypt’s big guns.

Right now, Egypt is on the precipice of an all-out digital revolution, spearheaded by the Central Bank of Egypt’s transformation strategy. The infrastructure to replicate China’s experiment is there, but there haven’t been any takers yet. By 1H 2025, the number of registered e-wallets in Egypt reached 55.5 mn, Daily News reported. Instant payments network InstaPay has also changed the name of the game when it comes to financial transfers in the country. In 1H 2025, over 16 mn users conducted over 1.1 bn transactions at a hefty EGP 2.4 tn processed.

Egypt may have invented the Eidiya, but will it lead its evolution?

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