Digital Payments & Fintech - Argentina

Since 2020, all Payment Service Providers that offer payment accounts (PSPOCP) must register in the BCRA's Registro de Proveedores de Servicios de Pago and accept the BCRA's regulatory, control and sanctioning regime; the BCRA can deregister providers inactive for 180+ consecutive days.

Comunicación 'A' 8432 (in force 6 May 2026) created the 'PSPCP as a Service' category, requires PSPs to register and obtain prior BCRA authorization for the third parties whose wallets they operate, and to designate a full-time AML compliance officer reported to the UIF and BCRA.

Client balances in payment accounts (CVU) must be held immediately and 100% in sight accounts at financial entities; PSPs must pass through to clients the full return earned on those balances, and reserve/encaje requirements were reinforced in 2026.

The BCRA-run Transferencias 3.0 provides interoperable, irrevocable instant credit transfers (≤15 seconds, 24/7) with a single standardized QR code working across any wallet or bank app, settled via BCRA-authorized clearing administrators (e.g., Prisma, Red Link).

Decree 353/2025 (published 23 May 2025) created the Sistema de Finanzas Abiertas, a consent-based API data-sharing model with the BCRA as implementing authority; the BCRA and ARCA are still defining technical standards, so the regime is enabled in law but not yet fully operational.

Argentina has no separate stand-alone e-money-institution licence distinct from the PSP regime, and no specific 'buy now, pay later' (compra ahora, paga después) rulebook; BNPL is provided largely by registered PSPs and financial entities under general consumer-credit and BCRA payment rules rather than a bespoke regime.