Egypt's National Bank wins utility model patent for mobile banking unit
The National Bank of Egypt received utility model patent No. 30868 from the Egyptian Intellectual Property Office for its mobile banking unit. The bank said the recognition supports its innovation strategy and financial inclusion goals, including services for people with disabilities. Officials presented the bank with an award at a ceremony at its headquarters.
The registered utility model, numbered 30868, protects the bank’s movable branch concept. At a headquarters ceremony, the bank received an award for distinction; its chief executive and the intellectual property office chairman attended with working teams. The bank called the recognition a first for an Egyptian bank in this field and linked it to innovation and financial inclusion.
The units started in 2021 from the New Administrative Capital, first serving staff before a government-district branch opened in 2022. They provide account opening, transactions, advice and financial awareness in hard-to-reach areas. A newer “Midi bus” model visits governorates and villages, and the design includes mechanical features for customers with disabilities.
The patent may strengthen the bank’s public innovation profile and encourage other Egyptian financial institutions to treat service design as protectable intellectual property. Customers in remote areas, including people with disabilities, could benefit if mobile units expand access to accounts, transactions and advice. The recognition may also support financial-inclusion efforts by signaling that alternative branch models are viable, though actual social impact will depend on how widely and consistently these units are deployed.