Cuban government cracks down on cash‑only businesses, closing shops and imposing payment surcharges

In Bayamo, Granma province, five private businesses were ordered shut after refusing to accept electronic transfers. The National Tax Administration Office (ONAT) announced audits of the establishments as part of a nationwide push to enforce electronic payment platforms.

In Sancti Spíritus, many merchants are charging surcharges of up to 40% or outright rejecting electronic payments, three years after the Central Bank of Cuba’s Resolution 111/2023 mandated electronic transactions for all economic actors. Bank officials reported a decline in electronic transaction volumes and highlighted that a large share of self‑employed workers and small enterprises have inactive fiscal accounts, contributing to cash shortages.

These actions follow similar enforcement operations in other provinces, which have resulted in more than 15,000 fines and hundreds of business closures across Cuba. Authorities say the measures aim to improve tax compliance and counter the effects of the U.S. embargo.