TITLE: Colombia's Central Bank Issues Treasury Services Operational Circular for External Authorized Channels
BODY:
On February 16, 2026, the Banco de la República (Central Bank of Colombia) issued Circular Externa Operativa y de Servicios DEP-495, which establishes operational guidelines for treasury services provided through external authorized channels. This circular replaces sections 5, 6, and 7 of the previous Circular Externa Operativa y de Servicios DTE-406 from August 12, 2025, and becomes part of the Central Bank's Corporate Manual for the Emission and Programming Department.
The circular applies to the Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia (Financial Superintendence), credit establishments, value transportation companies, collection and payment enterprises, natural and legal persons, and the Central Bank's main office and branches. It establishes the framework for treasury services delivered through three authorized external channels: Centros Complementarios de Efectivo (Complementary Cash Centers—CCEs) operated by value transportation companies; Ventanillas de Atención al Público (Public Service Windows) operated by both value transportation companies and collection and payment enterprises; and Puntos de Cambio de Efectivo (Cash Exchange Points—PCEs) operated by collection and payment enterprises.
The circular defines authorized cash exchange operations, including provisions for high-denomination banknotes (10,000, 20,000, 50,000, and 100,000 Colombian pesos) and low-denomination banknotes (5,000 pesos and below). It specifies operational requirements for each channel, including anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) compliance obligations, technological system registration requirements, and identification documentation standards for service users. The circular establishes detailed tables outlining which banknote denominations and conditions are acceptable for exchange at each service point.
The circular includes comprehensive annexes detailing the geographic locations of CCEs and PCEs across Colombian cities, specifying which services are available at each location and which value transportation or collection and payment companies operate them. It also incorporates data protection policies compliant with Colombian personal data protection legislation (Laws 1266 of 2008 and 1581 of 2012, and Decree 1074 of 2015).
REFERENCES:
Banco de la República. (2026). Circular Externa Operativa y de Servicios DEP-495: Servicios de tesorería prestados a través de canales externos autorizados. Retrieved from https://www.banrep.gov.co