Lebanese citizens will soon be able to settle their taxes and fees using bank cards issued by local banks and money transfer companies through the country’s existing POS network, LBCI channel reported citing sources at the Finance Ministry.

The move aims to cut reliance on cash transactions and reduce opportunities for bribery and corruption, ministry sources said.

To roll out the system, the ministry will sign agreements with banks and money transfer firms, noting in a letter to the Public Procurement Authority that the contracts will not create additional costs for the ministry.

A flat fee of 0.9% will apply to all card payments, capped at $50 per transaction, regardless of the size of the tax bill, the report noted.

The Public Procurement Authority has already cleared the process to move forward without a competitive tender.

Payments are expected to be made primarily in Lebanese pounds, though some services may allow transactions in foreign currencies at the official exchange rate set by the Central Bank — currently 89,500 Lebanese Lira to the U.S. dollar.