Banks in Moldova

Moldova has a nationally regulated banking system, with no separate regional or city rules identified for ordinary banking services. BNM is an autonomous public legal entity responsible to Parliament. It supervises licensed banks, banking payment activities, the national payment infrastructure, non-bank payment institutions and electronic-money institutions. Law No. 202/2017 covers banking supervision, capital, liquidity, governance and resolution. Law No. 114/2012 covers payment services, electronic money, transparency, user rights and licensing. As of 31 July 2026, the banking sector had approximately MDL 202.94 billion in assets, MDL 153.32 billion in deposits and a total capital ratio of 23.99%. These sector figures do not predict the conditions of an individual bank. Licensed commercial banks offer retail, business or universal services. A current or payment account supports salary payments, transfers, direct debits and card transactions. Savings and term deposits hold money for interest under conditions that can differ by currency, minimum amount, maturity, replenishment and early withdrawal. MDL is the national currency, while many banks also offer EUR and USD accounts. A Moldovan IBAN has 24 characters: MD, two check digits, two bank-identifier characters and an 18-character customer identifier. It is used for domestic and cross-border transfers. A branch normally requires a resident's original identity card. A non-resident usually presents an original passport or residence permit and may need additional customer-due-diligence and anti-money-laundering documents. A representative generally needs their own identity document, an original or notarized and apostilled power of attorney, and a notarized or apostilled copy of the customer's identity document. Companies provide registration, representation, beneficial-owner and other compliance documents required by the bank. Foreign-exchange rules do not generally prohibit non-residents from holding domestic current or deposit accounts, but the bank's checks still apply. Digital onboarding is not available universally. For example, maibank describes an online process for Moldovan citizens aged 18 or older with an eligible identity document, residence or eligibility in Moldova or one of 31 listed countries, a smartphone and an eligible phone number; the process can take about 5 to 10 minutes and may use an electronic signature. This example does not apply automatically to every bank or product. The national payment infrastructure includes AIPS. Its RTGS component handles large-value or urgent payments, while designated-time net settlement handles lower-value payments. Customers use payment cards, credit transfers, direct debits, cash and ATMs. For international transfers, the required details may include an IBAN, SWIFT or correspondent-bank information. Moldova joined SEPA for euro payments on 6 March 2025, and participating licensed banks were technically able to process SEPA transactions from 6 October 2025. The bank, currency, receiving bank, tariff and daily cut-off time determine the actual process and cost. MIA Plăți Instant is a National Bank of Moldova system for instant MDL payments. It operates 24 hours a day and normally completes transfers within seconds, with a maximum of 10 seconds. It supports person-to-person payments by phone number, payment requests, QR codes, payment links, transfers between a customer's own accounts, and selected business or government payments. Business-to-business payments have been available since 2 March 2026. The individual transaction limit is MDL 5,000, and BNM recommends an individual daily limit of up to MDL 25,000, although providers may adjust limits according to risk. MIA fees are 0% up to MDL 10,000 per month and may reach MDL 5 above that amount, subject to the provider's configuration. Banks issue debit, credit and sometimes prepaid cards. Cards may support ATM withdrawals, point-of-sale payments, online purchases, contactless payments and, where offered, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Customers should keep the PIN, card verification value and one-time password private. Strong customer authentication, 3D Secure, transaction notifications and daily, online or ATM limits reduce exposure but do not remove fraud risk. After loss, theft or suspected fraud, contact the bank immediately and block the card. The Deposit Guarantee Fund and Bank Resolution Fund (FGDSB) covers eligible deposits held by individuals and legal entities, including residents and non-residents, in MDL or foreign currency. Coverage is limited to MDL 200,000 per depositor at each member institution, with all covered deposits at that institution aggregated. Foreign-currency deposits are converted at the official BNM exchange rate on the date of unavailability. A joint account is divided according to each depositor's share. Certain deposits of natural persons can receive special 200% coverage for up to three months after a qualifying credit or transfer. Funds of banks and licensed financial institutions, public authorities, illegal or anti-money-laundering-related deposits, unidentified holders, debt securities and capital instruments are excluded. Compensation is paid in MDL and begins no later than seven working days after the unavailability information and depositor list are received. Non-bank payment institutions, electronic-money institutions and Poșta Moldovei or other payment agents can provide transfers, wallets, remittance or agent services. A payment institution cannot accept bank deposits. An electronic-money institution cannot accept deposits or other repayable funds, and it must safeguard customer money separately. These protections are not the same as FGDSB bank-deposit coverage, so the provider's license and public BNM register should be checked. Banks provide branches, contact centers and secure app or web channels for service requests. A payment-service complaint should first go to the bank or other provider, with statements, receipts and correspondence retained. A payment-service provider normally has to communicate its decision within 15 working days; an exceptional delay requires an interim reply, a reason and a final deadline. BNM supervises the sector, but the provider's complaint process normally handles the individual transaction or reimbursement decision. Account opening, card issuance and maintenance, ATM withdrawals, cash services, transfers, foreign exchange, SEPA payments, SMS notifications and early deposit withdrawal can all carry different fees. The applicable tariff and contract should be checked before signing. BNM warns about phishing, fake BNM messages, investment and credit scams, and requests to transfer money to cancel a supposed transaction. BNM and legitimate banks do not ask customers to disclose passwords, one-time passwords or full card details or to transfer money for cancellation. Use only official contact details, avoid suspicious links and public Wi-Fi for banking, check HTTPS and 3D Secure, inspect ATMs for tampering and reconcile statements with receipts.