meta_id 3334903

On July 17, 2026, the Central Reserve Bank of Peru (BCRP) approved Circular N° 0017-2026-BCRP, establishing the Regulation of the Instant Payment Service with Aliases. This regulation sets out provisions applicable to instant payment services regardless of the infrastructure processing them, aiming to reinforce security, efficiency, and interoperability within Peru's National Payment System. Instant payments with aliases—primarily using mobile phone numbers—have become the primary low-value digital payment instrument offered by an increasing and diverse range of payment service providers across multiple infrastructures. An alias is a validated identifier linked to a user's account that can be a mobile phone number, national identification number, or another identifier approved by the BCRP. Users can send or receive instant payments without entering the beneficiary's interbank account code; instead, they identify the beneficiary through an alias or by scanning a QR code from their digital wallet or application. Key aspects of the regulation include: payments in Peruvian soles available 24 hours daily, 365 days annually; a maximum transaction amount of 30,000 soles, though entities may establish lower or cumulative limits based on risk policies; mandatory interoperability and reciprocity requiring payment service providers to enable users to send and receive interoperable instant payments without unjustifiably degrading, blocking, or delaying operations; user service channels with maximum response times of 15 business days for complaints and disputes; and an authorization regime for Directory Providers and Managers based on risk management, information security, operational continuity, and technological resilience. The regulation applies to Payment Service Providers, Payment Infrastructures, and Critical Technology Service Providers, including Directory Providers and Managers. The regulation enters into force 60 calendar days after publication on September 13, 2026. Entities already operating as Directory Providers or Managers must submit authorization requests by December 31, 2026, and may continue operating while the BCRP evaluates their applications.