Key Facts for Jordan
- Primary real-time rails: CliQ, JoMoPay
- Typical settlement times: Transfers occur in a matter of seconds.
- Common limits: Varies by institution.
What “real-time payments” means in Jordan
In Jordan, real-time payments are defined as instant, 24/7 fund transfers between bank accounts and mobile wallets, primarily executed through the CliQ system. This service allows for immediate money movement using simple aliases like a mobile number, bypassing the need for traditional IBANs. The scope is nationwide, covering interoperable transfers between participating banks and mobile payment providers for individuals. While no formal legal definition is publicly cited, these systems operate under the supervision of the Central Bank of Jordan, which provides the regulatory framework for their function.
The Jordan Payments & Clearing Company (JoPACC) operates the CliQ system, with the Central Bank of Jordan providing ultimate supervision. JoPACC functions as the central clearing house, with final settlement occurring via the national Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system. For its messaging protocol, CliQ has adopted the global ISO 20022 messaging standard, which allows for richer data to travel with payments. This structure centralizes operations while maintaining a high degree of technical sophistication and regulatory oversight.
Jordan's adoption of ISO 20022 for its primary rail positions its payments infrastructure to be interoperable with modern systems globally.
Payment Rail Overview
CliQ
Launched in June 2020, CliQ is Jordan's modern instant payment system operated by JoPACC. It facilitates immediate fund transfers between bank accounts and mobile wallets using simple aliases like a mobile number, removing the need for complex IBANs. The system is integrated directly into participating banks' mobile applications and is built on the ISO 20022 messaging standard for data-rich transactions.
- Instant Transfers: Payments are sent and received in seconds, available 24/7 across the network.
- Alias-Based Payments: Users can transact using a registered mobile number or email address as an identifier, simplifying the payment process.
- Mobile Integration: The service is a core feature within the mobile banking apps of participating financial institutions, offering a native user experience.
- Interoperability: CliQ connects different banks and mobile payment providers, allowing funds to move freely between them.
- Request to Pay: In addition to sending money, users can also send payment requests to other individuals on the network.
Pros and Cons
- Pros: Highly convenient with alias-based payments, built on a modern technical standard, and offers broad interoperability. LN-friendly routing possible.
- Cons: The service is primarily focused on individual users, with limited availability for corporate use cases.
JoMoPay
Introduced on April 1, 2014, JoMoPay is the national mobile payment system operated by the Central Bank of Jordan. It is designed to advance financial inclusion by allowing users to make immediate electronic payments and transfers directly from their mobile phones. The system supports both smartphones and older devices through USSD technology, connecting e-wallets to the broader financial ecosystem.
- Financial Inclusion: A primary goal is to provide payment services to unbanked populations who can use e-wallets instead of traditional bank accounts.
- Broad Device Support: Works on traditional mobile phones via USSD messaging, ensuring accessibility for users without smartphones.
- ATM Cash-Out: Users can withdraw cash from their mobile wallets at any ATM connected to the national Jo-net network.
- Bill Payments: Integrates with the national bill payment system, allowing users to inquire about and pay bills electronically.
Pros and Cons
- Pros: Excellent for financial inclusion by supporting non-banked users and older mobile devices. It also integrates with essential services like bill pay and ATM withdrawals.
- Cons: Built on older infrastructure that is less adaptable for complex, data-rich transactions compared to modern rails.
Limits, Fees, and SLAs
- Limits: Transaction caps are set by individual institutions. The CliQ service is designated for individuals only, with no corporate tiers offered.
- Operating Hours: Payment services on the CliQ rail are available 24/7, allowing for transfers around the clock with no specified cut-off times.
- Failures & Returns: The CliQ service includes a feature for return payments, and a return service for both incoming and outgoing transfers is also noted.
Compliance and Risk
KYC/KYB & AML
Jordan's financial services operate under Central Bank supervision, with a framework for AML and KYC. While payment systems like CliQ have implicit controls, the crypto sector faces explicit rules requiring due diligence, transaction monitoring, and reporting suspicious activity to the AMLU.
Data Residency & Privacy
Specific data residency laws are not publicly detailed. However, regulations mandate a minimum five-year retention period for customer and transaction records, allowing financial data to be accessible for regulatory review by authorities like the Central Bank of Jordan.
Fraud Controls
Fraud control is built into the regulatory structure through consumer protection rules and CBJ oversight. For digital assets, this includes mandatory transaction monitoring and the enforcement of the Travel Rule, which reduces anonymity and helps track illicit financial flows.
Recordkeeping & Audits
Financial service providers must maintain comprehensive records of customer identification and transactions for at least five years. The framework mandates robust internal controls, independent audits, and regular compliance reporting to regulatory bodies to maintain transparency and accountability in all operations.
Lightning Network Integration as a Solution
The Lightning Network is a second-layer protocol built on Bitcoin that processes transactions off-chain for near-instant, low-cost payments. While local RTP rails like CliQ offer domestic speed, they are confined by national borders. The Lightning Network complements these systems by providing a global, interoperable payment layer for cross-border transactions, effectively extending real-time settlement capabilities worldwide without needing traditional intermediaries.
While domestic rails offer settlement in seconds, the Lightning Network matches this speed on a global scale. Its primary advantage is cost and reach; transactions can cost a fraction of a cent, making micropayments viable. Unlike national systems limited to a single country's banking infrastructure, the Lightning Network operates worldwide, connecting any user with internet access for borderless money movement.
- Cross-Border Complexity: It bypasses traditional banking intermediaries, reducing the high fees and settlement delays common in international transfers.
- Transaction Costs: By processing payments off-chain, it dramatically lowers fees, making micropayments for services like streaming or tipping economically practical.
- Market Access: The network provides a payment gateway to regions with underdeveloped financial infrastructure, opening new markets for businesses without requiring local banking relationships.
Integrating with the Lightning Network offers a direct path to a truly global and programmable payment infrastructure.
B2B Enterprise Use Cases
- Supplier Payments – A business pays international suppliers instantly over the network, bypassing correspondent banking delays.
“Business value:” Reduces cross-border transaction fees and accelerates supply chain payments. - Merchant Settlement – A merchant accepts global customer payments that settle immediately and irrevocably into their account.
“Business value:” Eliminates chargeback fraud and provides instant access to revenue. - Treasury Optimization – A corporate treasury moves capital between global subsidiaries 24/7 to manage liquidity in real-time.
“Business value:” Provides continuous global liquidity with minimal transfer costs. - Global Payroll – A company pays international employees and freelancers instantly, sending funds directly to their personal wallets.
“Business value:” Simplifies cross-border payroll and gives workers immediate access to wages. - API Monetization – A platform charges for API calls on a per-use basis, collecting micropayments for each automated interaction.
“Business value:” Opens new revenue models through granular, automated service billing.
Cross-Border Transactions and Remittances to Jordan
Cross-border real-time payments are complex, requiring solutions for connecting disparate national systems and managing foreign exchange. Reaching Jordan involves navigating these challenges, including the technical problem of rail bridging between payment infrastructures and optimizing FX paths. Jordan's regulated digital asset market also introduces strict compliance obligations. These operational hurdles add friction and cost, complicating the process for moving money internationally and highlighting the need for more efficient global payment layers.
- Jordan – India: This corridor is shaped by Jordan's new digital asset laws, which create a compliant but narrow path for payments. Firms must now navigate a complex compliance framework, adding due diligence steps to what should be a fast transaction process.
- Jordan – United States: Transactions along this corridor often involve family remittances and educational payments. Services from providers like Western Union and Mastercard facilitate these transfers, which are critical for personal and economic ties.
- Jordan – Gulf Countries (UAE, Saudi Arabia): This is a major labor corridor, with a high volume of remittances sent from Jordanian expatriates working in the Gulf region. These funds represent a significant portion of the inbound remittance flow, contributing to Jordan's economy.
The Lightning Network provides a global settlement layer on top of Bitcoin. By processing transactions off-chain, it bypasses traditional intermediaries, drastically cutting both settlement times and costs for international payments and making them nearly instantaneous and inexpensive.
How Lightspark Makes Integration Easy
Lightspark helps fintechs, digital banks, wallets, and exchanges integrate with the Lightning Network to offer global, real-time payments. We manage the operational complexities, including liquidity management, dynamic routing, and built-in compliance tooling, so you can focus on your core product. Our platform provides robust developer tools and APIs designed for rapid implementation, allowing you to connect to a worldwide payment network capable of sub-second settlement globally. This infrastructure opens new markets and creates opportunities for innovative financial services without the friction of traditional cross-border systems. Ready to expand your payment capabilities? Talk to our team.
Sources and Further Reading
- https://www.arabbank.jo/mainmenu/home/ways-to-bank/instant-payment-service-cliq - Details on CliQ payment features.
- https://www.cbj.gov.jo/EN/Pages/Mobile_Payment_Service_JoMoPay - Official overview of JoMoPay service.
- https://www.jopacc.com/what-we-do/services-products/cliq-services - Overview of CliQ payment services.
- https://www.jopacc.com/what-we-do/systems-platforms/what-cliq - Technical specifications of CliQ system.
- https://www.lightspark.com/contact - Connect with the Lightspark team.
- https://www.lightspark.com/knowledge/how-the-lightning-network-is-transforming-bitcoin - Lightning's impact on Bitcoin's utility.
- https://www.lightspark.com/knowledge/is-crypto-legal-in-jordan - Jordan's digital asset legal framework.
- https://www.lightspark.com/knowledge/what-does-the-lightning-network-do - Core functions of Lightning Network.
- https://www.lightspark.com/news/insights/what-are-lightning-payments - Introduction to Lightning Network payments.
- https://www.mastercard.com/news/eemea/en/newsroom/press-releases/en/2024/january/arab-bank-and-mastercard-launch-cross-border-payments-services-remitex-in-jordan/ - Mastercard's cross-border payment service launch.
- https://www.westernunion.com/blog/en/jo/zain-cash-in-jordan/ - Western Union's Zain Cash partnership.
