This was announced by Tatiana Ivanicichina, Vice President of the National Bank of Moldova, during a panel discussion titled "Digital Europe: Money, Payments, and Financial Innovation," organized as part of the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF) currently taking place in Sofia. According to the BNM, the discussions focused on the modernization of financial services, the integration of payment infrastructures, and the strengthening of security and trust in the use of digital solutions. In her remarks, the BNM Vice President presented Moldova's experience in developing instant payments and integrating into the European payment infrastructure, highlighting the results of participation in the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and the implementation of the national instant payment system MIA. Tatiana Ivanichkina emphasized that participation in SEPA reflects Moldova's progress in aligning with European standards and contributes to strengthening economic ties with the European Union. According to her, in the first year of participation in the SEPA system, Moldovan citizens and companies saved approximately 16.4 million euros by transferring money via SEPA instead of using the traditional SWIFT system, and the average cost of a transfer in euros fell to about 1 euro, whereas previously the transaction fee ranged from 20 to 150 euros. At the national level, the MIA system has reached over 1 million users, offering the ability to make payments in a matter of seconds—a service available on a permanent basis. Both systems, SEPA and MIA, help reduce costs, simplify payments, and bring them in line with the European financial market. The Vice President of the National Bank of Moldova emphasized the importance of these solutions for small businesses, including those located in rural areas, as they enable them to accept digital payments at low costs. At the same time, the use of European standards in the development of national infrastructure creates the conditions for interoperability with other instant payment systems and for aligning them with the European Union's financial market. During the discussions, Tatiana Ivanichkina emphasized that the modernization of payments must be accompanied by financial education, consumer protection, and support for those who are less familiar with digital technologies. Strengthening cybersecurity and operational resilience remains a priority to ensure that services are always available and that users can be confident in the security of their money and transactions. Tatiana Ivanicichina is participating in the forum as part of the BNM delegation led by President Anca Dragu. // 04.11.2026 — InfoMarket