Instant bank transfers become a right for all European account holders from 9 October 2025. Starting from this date, in fact, banks and post offices will be obliged to offer the immediate money transfer service – available 24 hours a day, every day of the year – and to guarantee an automatic check between the name of the beneficiary and the IBAN indicated. This is a significant turning point in the electronic payments system, because it redesigns the times, costs and methods with which it is possible to move money between different accounts, both for personal and business purchases. But not only that: the reform imposes new security measures, introduces dynamic limits to prevent fraud and establishes more uniform rules throughout the European Union. We could say that instant bank transfers now become the “new normal”, a system designed to make transactions faster and safer. This second phase follows the first started on January 9th, when banks had to adapt to the obligation to accept instant transfers without applying commissions higher than those of ordinary transfers.
Instant bank transfers become more secure: the new rules
The instant bank transfer allows you to transfer sums of money in less than 10 seconds, without time or day limits. It is a particularly useful service in cases where timeliness is essential: think, for example, of a payment for a used car to be made on the spot or a purchase made in a shop where credit cards for large amounts are not accepted. Unlike the ordinary bank transfer, which can take from one to several working days to be credited, the instant one makes the funds immediately available in the recipient’s account. This speed, however, also implies a downside: the transfer is irrevocable the moment it is confirmed. It means that, in the event of an error in entering the IBAN or in the case of online fraud and scams, recovering the sums could be decidedly complex.
To reduce these risks, a new verification function will be active from 9 October: banks will have to automatically check that the name of the beneficiary matches the IBAN holder. If the data does not match, the operation will be blocked or reported to the user, so as to avoid trivial but potentially very costly errors. This measure, already adopted by some credit institutions, now becomes mandatory for all banks.
Another important element introduced with the new legislation is that of personalized and dynamic limits. In practice, each bank will be able to establish a maximum limit for instant transfers based on the customer’s profile, their spending habits and the frequency of transactions. This limit may vary over time and will always be communicated to the user, so as to guarantee additional protection against anomalous movements. The system thus becomes more flexible and more compliant with behaviors real of each account holder, offering security calibrated to their needs.
From an IT security point of view, the protections already provided for electronic payments remain valid. In fact, all instant transfers must comply with SCA (Strong Customer Authentication), that is, a multifactor authentication system that requires at least two independent verification factors: something you own (like your smartphone), something you know (a password), or something that uniquely identifies you (like your fingerprint). This approach reduces the risk of unauthorized operations, even in the event of stolen or lost credentials.
For larger amounts, instant transfers are a practical alternative to payment cards, which often have lower limits. But precisely because the speed of execution does not allow revocations, it will be important to carefully check the name of the recipient and the correctness of the IBAN before confirming the operation. In the event of fraud, it is still possible to request a refund, provided that the bank is reported promptly. If the institution does not comply with the obligation to verify the account holder-IBAN, it will be required by law to reimburse the customer, restoring the account as if the payment had never occurred.
Finally, in the event of disputes, the rights of complaint and appeal to the ABF remain confirmed (Financial Banking Arbitrator), an independent body that resolves disputes between customers and intermediaries with low costs and quick times. Appealing to the ABF costs 20 euros, refundable if the outcome is favorable, and does not require the assistance of a lawyer.
They become universal: the obligation in all European banking institutions
Another innovation concerns the universality of the service: from 9 October 2025, instant transfers must be available in all European banking institutions, including those in countries that do not adopt the euro. Other financial operators, such as electronic money or payment institutions, will have until 9 April 2027 to comply. With these innovations, Europe takes a decisive step towards a faster, more transparent and uniform payments system, where the security of payments and their convenience of use finally go hand in hand.
