Are bank transfers instant in Ecuador?

Not always yet. A 2024 resolution requires real-time, 24/7 interoperable transfers, with key and QR payments capped at one basic salary, and the BCE's real-time payment messaging standard becomes mandatory within each payment network on November 30, 2026.

Payment by bank transfer in Ecuador

Transfers are a daily payment habit in Ecuador, for rent, invoices and many small online sellers who share their account details on WhatsApp. Interbank payments processed through the BCE reached USD 141.2 billion from January to September 2025, up 11% year on year. Yet bank transfers carried only 3% of e-commerce value in 2024, because interbank transfers could take up to 72 hours depending on the bank and the day.

The move to real-time payments

A December 2024 resolution of the Junta de Política y Regulación Monetaria requires real-time, 24/7 interoperable payments across banks and cooperatives, with keys and standardized QR codes capped at one basic salary, USD 470 in 2025. In March 2026 the BCE set an ISO 20022 standard for real-time payments, mandatory within each payment network by November 30, 2026, and in August 2026 it was studying Pix-style keys for a new 24-hour system. For merchants, instant payment would make transfers a serious checkout option.

More detail in our #PayWorldTour guide Payment methods in Ecuador.