Digital Payments & Fintech · Belarus
Fintech & digital payments rules in Belarus (2026)
Belarus shaded by its digital payments & fintech status
Belarus has a clear, in-force licensing/registration regime for payments overseen by the National Bank (NBRB). Law No. 164-Z (2022) established a Registry of Payment Service Providers covering banks plus new non-bank participants (payment aggregators, payment couriers and other providers), each subject to NBRB capital, AML, governance and operational requirements before they may operate. E-money may be issued only by resident banks holding NBRB permission, and the NBRB also runs the national ERIP rail and the new KROK instant-QR payment service.
Key points
Law No. 164-Z of 19 April 2022 "On Payment Systems and Payment Services" entered into force in August 2022, setting the legal basis for payment systems and the provision of payment services in Belarus.
The National Bank of the Republic of Belarus forms and maintains the Registry of Payment Service Providers; providers (including payment aggregators and payment-instrument providers) may carry out payment activity only after being entered in the registry.
Requirements set by the NBRB include minimum share capital, financial and safe-operation standards, fit-and-proper tests for heads and beneficial owners, information security, AML compliance, internal control and payment-risk management, calibrated by the type and combination of payment services provided.
The NBRB has regulated electronic money since 2000; only resident banks that have obtained the appropriate NBRB permission may issue e-money — there is no separate stand-alone EMI/e-money-institution license outside the banking framework.
The NBRB operates the national ERIP (single settlement and information space) rail and, by Board Resolution No. 13 of 16 January 2026, updated its instant-payment system rules to introduce the KROK service for 24/7 cashless instant QR payments without bank cards.
Presidential Decree No. 19 of 16 January 2026 created a framework for "crypto banks" (joint-stock companies combining digital-token and banking/payment activity) requiring High-Tech Park residency and inclusion in an NBRB register; open banking and BNPL have no dedicated standalone regime.
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Last verified 5/25/2026 · Orientation, not legal advice - verify against the primary sources linked above. Explore the full world map →