Bosnia and Herzegovina launches 24‑hour instant‑payment system

The Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina introduced an instant‑payment platform on 20 July, based on the European TIPS (Target Instant Payment Settlement) framework and supported by the Bank of Italy and the European Central Bank. The new system operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, allowing transfers between accounts to be completed in a few seconds, even on weekends and holidays. It replaces the former batch‑settlement method that processed transactions only during four daily windows. In the first phase, transfers are limited to 5 000 KM per transaction and do not yet cover salary or pension payments, which will be added later. All commercial banks in BiH may join, but only those that have passed functional, operational and technical tests will connect on day one; others will be integrated progressively. The reform is hailed as the biggest modernization of the country’s payment traffic since 2001, offering faster cash flow for citizens and improved liquidity management for businesses.