Stable payment system operation, rise in the number of payments and the use of m- and e-banking

Stable payment system operation, rise in the number of payments and the use of m- and e-banking. The NBS takes care of, monitors and promotes the safe and stable operation of six payment systems. Through our activities, we have ensured the reliability of the operation of all payment systems, as well as the security and efficiency of execution of payment transactions in those systems. Over 386 million payments were made in payment systems operated by the NBS in 2023, which represents a 76% increase compared to the total number of transactions made in payment systems in 2013. There is a pronounced growth in payments using mobile and online banking, both in terms of the number of users and the number of transactions.

During the term of Governor Jorgovanka Tabaković, the NBS became a leader in innovative solutions in the field of payments. The NBS has proven to be one of the trailblazers in innovative payment solutions.

We introduced a modern legal framework for payment services that encourages innovation and is in line with the best European and global practice. Among the first in the world, the NBS instant payments system (IPS) was launched, enabling citizens and businesses to pay anywhere and anytime, transferring money to the recipient’s account within just a few seconds.

• Citizens and businesses are provided with an extremely simple model for paying monthly bills – in their mobile banking applications, they just need to scan the IPS QR code (without entering data) on the bills issued by utility and other service providers.
• It is possible to make instant payments at points-of-sale using different methods (IPS show, IPS scan).
• Merchants are provided with the opportunity to have a new, modern way of cashless payment at their points-of-sale, providing them with funds in just a few seconds and at lower merchant fees thanks to the NBS price policy, as well as independent preparation of solutions which suit their needs.
• Citizens are provided with the opportunity to make instant payments, via mobile banking applications, by entering only the mobile phone number of the registered payee or selecting it from the directory, without the need to remember templates, write down or enter the payee’s account number.

The struggle for a national card system has yielded many benefits for citizens. To buttress financial stability by ensuring the independence of our payment system, cost reduction and modernisation of the domestic payment card, the NBS worked strategically on developing its national card system – DinaCard.

• With the introduction of numerous new services as competition to expensive foreign brands, the turnover with DinaCard cards is growing, and the average merchant fee was halved from 2.10% to 1.05%. Based on that alone, over a period of four years only (from 2019 to 2023), savings of EUR 300 mn were recorded in the trade system, this being also the cost that would have been passed onto customers through goods and services prices.
• Paying in instalments using debit DinaCard is an excellent substitute for deferred payment with cheques – paying with a debit, not a credit payment card.
• Cashback service – in cooperation with banks and some merchants, we have activated the service of cash withdrawal alongside purchase, which enables all DinaCard users to withdraw cash in the amount of up to RSD 5,000 free of charge, when making a purchase. This is especially important in underbanked areas where the ATM network is not as developed as in the big cities.

A set of measures to protect living standards and fee transparency – payment account package with basic services.

^{* The latest available data at the moment of the preparation of the brochure.}