Citizens and businesses in the Republic of Moldova saved around 16.4 million euros in the first year of participation in the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), according to data presented by the National Bank of Moldova (NBM) on 4 November 2026. The savings came from using SEPA transfers instead of the traditional SWIFT system.
How much do euro transfers cost?
The average cost of a euro transfer has reached around one euro, compared with previous fees of 20–150 euros per transaction, according to the NBM. The 16.4 million euros represents the cumulative savings reported for citizens and businesses, not the value of the money transferred.
The data were presented by Tatiana Ivanicichina, Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Moldova, at the OMFIF Forum in Sofia, Bulgaria. Ivanicichina said that participation in SEPA helps strengthen economic ties with the European Union.
What does the MIA system offer?
The national MIA Instant Payments system has more than one million users and allows payments to be made within seconds, with round-the-clock availability, according to the NBM. Unlike the data on euro transfers through SEPA, this figure describes the use of the instant payment system nationwide.
Ivanicichina highlighted the opportunity for small businesses, including those in rural areas, to accept digital payments at low cost. According to the Deputy Governor, the use of European standards lays the groundwork for connecting national infrastructure with other instant payment systems.
Payment security and support for users
Payment modernisation must be accompanied by financial education and consumer protection, Ivanicichina stressed. The Deputy Governor also noted the need to support people who are less familiar with digital technologies.
Cybersecurity and the ability of systems to operate without interruption remain priorities, according to the NBM representative. The stated objective is to maintain service availability and users’ confidence in the security of their money and transactions.
Sources
- Banca Națională a Moldovei — Viceguvernatoarea BNM, doamna Tatiana Ivanicichina, la Forumul OMFIF: plățile digitale și integrarea europeană aduc beneficii concrete oamenilor și afacerilor
Written with AI assistance from the official sources above and checked by the editors.
What we checked (7 claims and their sources)
Every figure, date and name in the article, with the official source it comes from (in Romanian). The check against sources is automatic, before editor approval.
- BNM a publicat informațiile pe 4 noiembrie 2026. — Banca Națională a Moldovei
- Cetățenii și companiile au economisit circa 16,4 milioane de euro în primul an de participare la SEPA, folosind acest sistem în locul SWIFT. — Banca Națională a Moldovei
- Costul mediu al unui transfer în euro s-a redus la aproximativ un euro. — Banca Națională a Moldovei
- Comisioanele anterioare pentru o tranzacție erau cuprinse între 20 și 150 de euro. — Banca Națională a Moldovei
- MIA Plăți Instant a ajuns la peste un milion de utilizatori. — Banca Națională a Moldovei
- MIA permite plăți în câteva secunde, disponibile permanent. — Banca Națională a Moldovei
- Tatiana Ivanicichina, viceguvernatoarea Băncii Naționale a Moldovei, a prezentat datele la Forumul OMFIF de la Sofia, Bulgaria. — Banca Națională a Moldovei
Newsletter
Moldova, in your inbox
The stories that matter, every morning, in a single email. You choose what you get and in which language.
- Free
- No spam
- One-click unsubscribe
