### The real impact of the new check regulations in Tunisia: between constraints and opportunities
In February 2023, a new law regulating the use of checks was born in Tunisia. The first consequences of this legislation are striking: a fall in the use of 94 % checks according to the Central Bank data, while they represented 53 % of transactions in 2024. This steep turnaround raises questions not only on economic implications but also on the dynamics of confidence that govern trade in the country.
### A forced transformation of the economic landscape
For many entrepreneurs, such as Hedi Sefi, the playground has radically changed. The check, which was often perceived as a means of guarantee allowing to advance in projects pending liquidity, is transformed into a strict payment instrument, immediately liquidating transactions. Entrepreneurs, who used to juggle these guarantees awaiting liquidity, find themselves faced with an immediate liquidity requirement on the part of their suppliers and customers.
The law, although justified by the fight against the phenomenon of without provision checks, highlights a systemic dysfunction: insufficient liquidity in an economy where many consumers like Hedi live a daily life marked by financial restrictions. This context brings out a crucial question: in the absence of checks, what is being set up to ensure the fluidity of trade?
### Checks: a symbol of trust in the test
For Abdelkrim, the law represents relief, feeling that this former abusive credit mechanism will not only harm entrepreneurs, but also to consumers. If on the one hand, individuals have abused the confidence granted by checks, it is undeniable that this system was an answer in the face of an absence of robust financing structures.
By being more interested in the problem, Kumar Chaudhary, economist and finance consultant, explains that “the regulations must go hand in hand with alternative financing solutions”. In other words, instead of deleting a tool, it would be more judicious to develop alternative mechanisms. With inclusive finance, entrepreneurs could juggle more efficiently without depending on a single channels.
### The alternative challenge: a changing payment system
The fundamental problem does not reside only in the prohibition of checks, but in the absence of viable alternatives. Tunisians are still largely attached to old payment practices. The emergence of new payment systems, such as the tunichèque platform, has not yet aroused the membership that its designers hoped, with a rate of only 4.7 % registration. This reflects a lack of awareness, but also a distrust of new technologies and their security.
The question here is that of financial education. Have we sufficiently prepared Tunisians for the digital revolution which transforms the global economic landscape? Initiatives to train entrepreneurs on modern payment tools seem to be urgent. From their uses could emerge from solutions adapted to local needs, while offering guarantees for both creditors and debtors.
### A lesson in circular economy and commercial creativity
The situation could also be analyzed through the prism of the circular economy, where innovation becomes the pillar of an economic renewal. Rather than focusing solely on the prohibition of checks, how could we raise awareness of new business practices based on trust and innovation? This could involve the creation of connecting platforms between consumers and suppliers, where credit would be evaluated not by checkmen, but by performance indications, recommendations and real -time payments commitments.
Finally, states must also play an active role in this new economic paradigm. The implementation of incentive programs for innovative payment technologies could upset the dynamics, by facilitating access to financial resources and by making transparent and secure transactions.
### Conclusion: towards a renewed trust economy
The transition to an economy without check in Tunisia could be seen as a challenge, but also as an opportunity to redefine confidence in economic transactions. Mirroring global evolution towards digital payment systems, the ability to create an ecosystem where entrepreneurs can evolve without finding themselves trapped by their means of payment will be a determining factor.
Through learning, innovation and solutions adapted to local realities, Tunisia has an exceptional opportunity to reinvent its economic landscape. By transforming the constraint into creativity, the country could not only overcome the current crisis, but also position itself as a model for other development economies.