TITLE: Ukraine's National Bank Amends Payment Instrument Issuance and Acquiring Rules
BODY:
On May 19, 2026, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) amended the regulations governing the issuance and acquiring of payment instruments, including payment cards, to enhance transparency in payment operations during the provision of acquiring services. The amendments aim to combat misuse of payment infrastructure in illegal activities, prevent miscoding (the substitution of merchant activity category codes), support economic formalisation, and strengthen consumer protection.
The NBU introduced four key changes for financial institutions providing payment acquiring services. First, it expanded mandatory information requirements about payment operations transmitted to card issuers and made available to payment instrument users. For goods, works, and services payments, acquirers must now provide merchant identifiers: the tax identification code (ЄДРПОУ) for legal entities, or the tax registration number or passport details for individual entrepreneurs. For utilities payments, acquirers may use their own ЄДРПОУ code rather than listing each individual supplier, simplifying multi-recipient transactions.
Second, the NBU established clear rules for providing acquiring services to individuals. Acquiring services may now be offered to individuals officially registered as volunteers or those with contractual relationships with businesses (such as individuals selling used goods on digital platforms or restaurant staff receiving tips). This formalises existing practices while enhancing transparency and safety.
Third, the NBU expanded mandatory receipt information to include merchant details, commission amounts, payment purpose, and merchant category codes (MCC).
Fourth, acquirers must disclose their full legal name to payment instrument users before initiating online transactions.
These amendments take effect on May 20, 2026, pursuant to National Bank of Ukraine Board Resolution No. 51 of May 14, 2026. Payment market participants must comply with the new requirements within six months of the regulation's effective date.