How people pay in Costa Rica in 2026
Costa Rica is one of the most digital payment markets in Latin America, and the central bank built the rail that made it so. SINPE Móvil, the Banco Central de Costa Rica's phone-number transfer service, settled 747.5 million transfers worth more than ₡12 trillion in 2025, up 15% in volume, and 4.5 million phone numbers were registered on it by December. That is close to one line per adult in a country of 5.2 million people. Cards are the other pillar: the MEIC counted 6.98 million debit cards and 3.01 million credit cards in June 2025, almost all contactless, issued by BAC, Banco Nacional, BCR, Banco Popular and a long tail of cooperatives.
Cash is losing ground fast. ATM withdrawals fell from 99.4 million operations in 2024 to 87.7 million in 2025, and banks closed 82 ATMs in a year. Online, international credit cards still dominate: PCMI estimates they carried 68% of the US$6.4 billion e-commerce market in 2024, with debit at 16% and bank transfers at 10%. Installments are a card feature rather than a fintech product, sold as Tasa Cero or Plan 0% by every large bank. Wallets mean Apple Pay, Google Wallet and bank apps, plus Zunify's QR network on BCR terminals. Like in Mexico, the central bank is now redesigning its instant rail around QR codes, with a new SINPE Móvil version expected in 2028.
- 747.5 million SINPE Móvil transfers in 2025, worth more than ₡12 trillion (BCCR via CRHoy)
- 6.98 million debit cards and 3.01 million credit cards in circulation in June 2025 (MEIC via Delfino)
- 87.7 million ATM withdrawals in 2025, down from 99.4 million in 2024 (BCCR Memoria Anual via La Nación)
- 68% of e-commerce volume paid with international credit cards in 2024 (PCMI)
Payment by card in Costa Rica
Cards are everywhere in Costa Rica, and almost all of them are contactless. The MEIC's half-year report counted 6,981,436 debit cards and 3,010,639 credit cards in June 2025, with credit cards up 295,606 in six months. Visa and Mastercard carry nearly all of them, and American Express is issued by BAC and, since August 2025, acquired by Banco Nacional as well. In person, debit beats cash: a Mastercard survey found 73% of Costa Ricans used a debit card for in-store purchases against 69% for cash. Online, PCMI puts international credit cards at 68% of e-commerce volume and debit at 16% in 2024.
Acceptance costs are regulated. Under Law 9831 the BCCR sets annual caps, and its rule for 2026 keeps the acquiring fee at 1.95% and interchange at 1% for domestic payments, 2.5% for foreign cards, with POS rental capped at ₡14,000 a month. Since July 2025 every terminal must accept Amex, Mastercard and Visa. Anyone pricing a Costa Rican merchant should understand interchange fees, because here they are set by the central bank, not the schemes.
Card schemes in Costa Rica
Visa
International scheme
The largest card brand in Costa Rica, issued by BAC, Banco Nacional, BCR, Banco Popular, Promerica and cooperatives on debit, credit and prepaid cards, and the default for online checkout.
Mastercard
International scheme
The other main brand on Costa Rican bank cards, used at contactless terminals and online; its surveys drive much of the country's cash-versus-card data.
73% of Costa Ricans paid in store with a debit card in Mastercard's 2024 survey, Bloomberg Línea
American Express
International scheme
Issued locally by BAC Credomatic and acquired by BAC and, since August 2025, Banco Nacional; all terminals must accept it under the BCCR's 2025 rule.
9 licensed acquirers enabling Amex acceptance in July 2025, BCCR via Delfino
Debit cards
Debit card
Contactless Visa and Mastercard debit cards linked to current accounts are the most used in-store payment instrument in Costa Rica, ahead of cash.
6.98 million debit cards in circulation in June 2025, MEIC via Delfino
Credit cards
Credit card
Credit cards carry most online spending and the Tasa Cero installment plans; issuance is growing even as balances fall.
3.01 million credit cards in June 2025, up 295,606 since December 2024, El Observador
Payment by cash in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is one of the least cash-dependent countries in Latin America. A McKinsey survey cited by Bloomberg Línea found that only 28% of Costa Ricans prefer to pay in cash, the third-lowest share in the region after Chile and Argentina. The BCCR's 2025 annual report shows the decline in hard numbers: ATM withdrawals fell to 87.7 million operations worth ₡7.1 trillion in 2025, from 99.4 million a year earlier, and withdrawals per card dropped from about 25 a year in 2010 to 8.3. Banks removed 82 ATMs in 2025, leaving 2,530.
Cash survives in markets, small sodas, rural areas and public transport, but even the bus is going digital. The BCCR's SINPE-TP system runs on about 2,000 contactless validators, and in March 2026 it launched a prepaid Monedero SINPE-TP card for the roughly 400,000 daily riders without a bank account, topped up by SINPE Móvil. Cash on delivery is marginal online, where PCMI puts pay-on-delivery and other methods at about 1% of e-commerce volume. Our case studies on the shift from cash to digital show how Costa Rica compares with Brazil and Mexico.
Cash payment methods in Costa Rica
Cash
Banknotes and coins
Colón notes remain legal tender for small purchases, markets and rural trade, but most Costa Ricans now prefer a card or a SINPE Móvil transfer.
28% of Costa Ricans prefer to pay in cash, McKinsey survey via Bloomberg Línea
ATM withdrawal
ATM cash access
Bank ATMs are the main cash source, but the network is shrinking as customers withdraw less often and in larger amounts, an average of ₡74,598 per withdrawal in 2025.
87.7 million ATM withdrawals in 2025, down from 99.4 million in 2024, BCCR via La Nación
Monedero SINPE-TP
Prepaid transit card
A BCCR prepaid contactless card sold for ₡5,000 at BCR and Banco Nacional service points, letting unbanked riders pay bus and train fares and reload by SINPE Móvil.
400,000 daily unbanked riders targeted in the Greater Metropolitan Area in 2026, Tico Times
Cash on delivery
Cash on delivery
Offered by some local online stores and couriers, but rarely used; most buyers pay by card or SINPE Móvil before delivery.
Payment by bank transfer in Costa Rica
The Banco Central de Costa Rica runs SINPE, the national payment system, and its star product is SINPE Móvil, an instant payment service that moves money between accounts using only a phone number, 24/7, through 45 financial institutions. It settled 747.5 million transfers worth more than ₡12 trillion in 2025, with an average ticket of ₡16,759, and another ₡9.8 trillion in the first nine months of 2026. State banks dominate: Banco Nacional, BCR and Banco Popular handled 67% of the value in 2024. Most banks let customers send up to ₡500,000 a day with little or no fee.
For merchants, SINPE Móvil is a de facto instant payment method: a taxi, a soda or a market stall simply shows a phone number. Gateways such as Tilopay and ONVO now confirm these payments automatically at checkout, and SINPE TFT credit transfers to an IBAN cover larger B2B flows. The tax authority is catching up: a draft decree would force businesses to register the SINPE Móvil numbers they use for sales. The BCCR is building a new version with QR codes, modeled on India and Brazil, expected around 2028. Our guide to account-to-account payments explains what that means for PSPs.
Bank transfer methods in Costa Rica
SINPE Móvil
Instant payment
The BCCR's real-time transfer service linked to a phone number, used by consumers for P2P and for paying taxis, small shops, services and increasingly online checkouts.
747.5 million transfers worth more than ₡12 trillion in 2025, BCCR via CRHoy
SINPE credit transfer (TFT)
Bank transfer
Interbank transfers to an IBAN through SINPE, real-time or deferred, used for payroll, supplier payments, invoices and larger purchases that exceed SINPE Móvil limits.
SINPE-TP
Transit payment
The BCCR's electronic fare system on trains and buses in the Greater Metropolitan Area, accepting contactless cards, phones and the new prepaid Monedero SINPE-TP card.
2,000 contactless validators in service across 60 bus companies in March 2026, Tico Times
Zunify
QR payment
A Costa Rican QR network, acquired by Evertec in 2024, that lets shoppers pay from their bank account by scanning a code at the merchant's BCR terminal; it also works remotely by phone number.
25,000+ merchants enabled for QR payment on BCR terminals in September 2025, La República
Direct bank transfer
Bank transfer
Many small businesses still share an IBAN or a SINPE Móvil number and wait for the transfer confirmation before handing over goods, a habit tax authorities now want registered.
Payment by installment and BNPL in Costa Rica
In Costa Rica, buy now, pay later lives inside the credit card. Every large bank sells interest-free or low-fee installment plans under its own brand: BAC Credomatic's Tasa Cero runs from 3 to 24 months at participating merchants, BCR's Plan BCR 0% charges a one-off fee of 2% to 7% for 3 to 12 months, Banco Popular has BP Tasa Cero, Davivienda sells A Paguitos, and Scotiabank converts purchases into up to 24 interest-free installments from its app. Retailers such as Walmart, PriceSmart, electronics chains and airlines are the main users.
The plans are moving online and into wallets. Since August 2025 BAC cardholders can make Tasa Cero purchases from a phone or smartwatch, and gateways expose them at checkout: Tilopay lists Tasa Cero BAC, Minicuotas BAC and Credix Cero Interés as installment options with merchant fees of 4% to 14% depending on the term. Pure fintech BNPL has not taken hold: there is no local Klarna, and regulators focus instead on card interest, which the BCCR capped at 38.36% in colones for the first half of 2025. Credit card balances fell to ₡1.61 trillion in June 2025 even as the number of cards grew.
Installment and BNPL providers in Costa Rica
Tasa Cero BAC
Card installments
BAC Credomatic's interest-free installment program on its Visa, Mastercard and Amex credit cards, from 3 to 24 months at affiliated merchants, in store, online and since 2025 in its digital wallet.
4 in 10 BAC customers already pay with its digital wallet, where Tasa Cero works since August 2025, El Mundo CR
Minicuotas BAC
Card installments
BAC's longer-term plan that spreads a purchase over 12 to 36 months, offered at checkout by gateways such as Tilopay for higher-ticket goods.
Plan BCR 0%
Card installments
Banco de Costa Rica's installment plan for purchases above ₡100,000, with a single fee of 2% for 3 months up to 7% for 12 months, and plans up to 24 months at partner merchants.
BP Tasa Cero
Card installments
Banco Popular's zero-interest plan: 3 or 6 installments at partner merchants with no fee, or a transfer of existing purchases over 3 to 12 months with a 3% to 10% fee.
Davivienda A Paguitos
Card installments
Davivienda Costa Rica's 0% interest plan over 3, 6, 12 or 24 months for purchases above ₡50,000, with a one-off 3% fee charged with the first installment.
Credix Cero Interés
Card installments
Installment option on Credix credit cards, a Costa Rican issuer, exposed at online checkout by Tilopay and ONVO for 3 to 12 months.
Payment by digital wallet and X-Pay in Costa Rica
Costa Rica was an early adopter of phone payments in Central America. Apple Pay launched in November 2021 with BAC Credomatic, BCR, Promerica and Scotiabank, at a time when Mastercard already saw more than 60% of transactions made contactless. Google Wallet followed in February 2023 with Promerica and BCR. Bank apps double as wallets: BAC says 4 in 10 of its customers pay with its digital wallet, which now supports Tasa Cero installments from a phone or watch.
There is no dominant local super-app, because SINPE Móvil already does what a wallet does. The closest thing is Zunify, the QR network bought by Evertec, which links bank accounts and cards in one app and is enabled on more than 25,000 BCR merchant terminals. Online, wallets stay small: PCMI puts digital wallets at 3% of e-commerce volume in 2024. Merchants should still enable Apple Pay and Google Pay, which gateways such as Tilopay and Banco Nacional terminals support, since they ride on the same regulated card fees. Unlike in Colombia, where Nequi and Daviplata hold tens of millions of accounts, Costa Rican wallets are an extension of the bank card.
Digital wallets and X-Pay in Costa Rica
Apple Pay
X-Pay
Live in Costa Rica since November 2021 with BAC Credomatic, BCR, Promerica and Scotiabank cards, accepted on the country's contactless terminals and by gateways such as Tilopay online.
Google Wallet
X-Pay
Launched in February 2023 with Promerica and BCR, and supported on Banco Nacional terminals and Tilopay checkouts for Android users.
BAC digital wallet
Bank wallet
BAC Credomatic's in-app wallet for phones and smartwatches, including Garmin and Fitbit devices, and the first in the country to process Tasa Cero installments from a wearable.
4 in 10 BAC customers use the digital wallet for mobile payments in 2025, El Mundo CR
Zunify
QR wallet
Evertec-owned Costa Rican app that aggregates bank accounts and cards, pays by QR in store, by phone number remotely and online, with cashback and points at partner retailers.
25,000+ merchants reachable through BCR terminals since September 2025, La República
SINPE Móvil as wallet
Account-based wallet
Most Costa Ricans treat SINPE Móvil inside their bank app as their everyday wallet, paying by phone number rather than by card token.
4.5 million phone numbers registered on SINPE Móvil in December 2025, BCCR via CRHoy
Payments in Costa Rica: FAQ
What is the most used payment method in Costa Rica?
SINPE Móvil, the central bank's phone-number transfer service, is the most used method by count: it settled 747.5 million transfers in 2025, more than two million a day. In stores, contactless debit cards still edge out cash, and online, international credit cards carry about two thirds of spending.
How do you pay online in Costa Rica?
Mostly with a Visa or Mastercard credit card, which PCMI estimates at 68% of e-commerce volume in 2024, followed by debit cards at 16% and bank transfers at 10%. Local gateways such as Tilopay and ONVO also confirm SINPE Móvil payments automatically and offer Tasa Cero installments at checkout.
Does Apple Pay work in Costa Rica?
Yes. Apple Pay launched in November 2021 with BAC Credomatic, BCR, Promerica and Scotiabank, and Google Wallet followed in 2023 with Promerica and BCR. Almost every terminal in the country is contactless, so both work in most shops.
Is there buy now, pay later in Costa Rica?
Not as a standalone fintech product. Installments are a credit card feature: BAC's Tasa Cero runs from 3 to 24 months at affiliated merchants, and BCR, Banco Popular, Davivienda and Scotiabank sell similar plans, often with a one-off fee of 2% to 7%.
Are card fees regulated in Costa Rica?
Yes. Under Law 9831 the Banco Central sets annual caps, and for 2026 it kept the maximum acquiring fee at 1.95% and interchange at 1% for domestic card payments, with POS rental capped at ₡14,000 per month.
Accept local payments in Costa Rica with NORBr
Acquiring in Costa Rica is a bank business. The BCCR lists nine licensed acquirers, led by BAC San José, Banco de Costa Rica, Banco Nacional, Promerica and Lafise, alongside Tilopay, ONVO, mPOS Global and dLocal. Merchants typically take a terminal from a bank and add a local gateway for online sales, payment links and SINPE Móvil confirmation. Fees are capped by the central bank, so providers compete on settlement speed, SINPE Móvil automation, Tasa Cero support and plugins for Shopify, WooCommerce and VTEX.
A PSP, PayFac, ISO or ISV entering the market should check whether the partner settles in colones and dollars, which Tasa Cero programs it can trigger at checkout, and whether it holds a BCCR acquiring license or rides on a bank's. Regional newsletters such as Latam Fintech Hub track the small but active Costa Rican fintech scene.
Merchants selling in Costa Rica expect SINPE Móvil, cards with Tasa Cero installments, Apple Pay and Google Wallet, and cash. With NORBr, you are not limited to a fixed catalog: you can connect any acquirer, PSP or local provider that offers these methods. Some may already be in our connector catalog. For the others, Mapper™, our low-code integration tool, and Connector Studio get a new partner live in days rather than quarters. Each partner then joins your global payment network, and Smart Checkout shows the right methods to each shopper. Ready to expand into new markets? Explore the other #PayWorldTour guides.
Local payment providers in Costa Rica
BAC Credomatic
Acquirer
San José-based banking group and the country's largest card issuer and acquirer, supplying POS terminals, e-commerce processing, Amex acceptance and the Tasa Cero program to merchants across Central America.
Covers: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Debit cards, Credit cards, SINPE Móvil, Tasa Cero BAC, Minicuotas BAC, Apple Pay, Google Wallet, BAC digital wallet
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
Acquirer
The largest state bank, with more than 2.8 million clients, offering POS terminals with Apple Pay and Google Pay, integrated and e-commerce acquiring, and since August 2025 American Express acceptance.
Covers: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Debit cards, Credit cards, SINPE Móvil, SINPE credit transfer (TFT), Apple Pay, Google Wallet
Banco de Costa Rica (BCR)
Acquirer
State bank offering POS, Tap Móvil on iPhone and Android, web checkout, payment links and QR codes that also work with Zunify, plus the Plan BCR 0% installment program for its 1.8 million cardholders.
Covers: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Debit cards, Credit cards, SINPE Móvil, Zunify, Plan BCR 0%, Apple Pay, Google Wallet
Tilopay
Payment gateway
Costa Rican gateway founded in 2019 that connects online merchants to local banks across Central America and the Caribbean, with plugins for more than 90 e-commerce platforms and SINPE Móvil confirmation at checkout.
7,000 Costa Rican merchants out of 25,000 in 33 markets in April 2025, Delfino
Covers: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, SINPE Móvil, Tasa Cero BAC, Minicuotas BAC, Credix Cero Interés, Apple Pay, Google Wallet
ONVO
Payment gateway
San José startup, founded in 2021 and licensed by the BCCR as an acquirer, offering cards, SINPE and SINPE Móvil online, subscriptions, a POS terminal and the ONVO Zapp link, with published pricing of 3.9% plus US$0.35 on cards and 1.5% on SINPE Móvil.
Covers: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, SINPE Móvil, SINPE credit transfer (TFT), Credix Cero Interés
Zunify
QR network
Costa Rican QR payment network, owned by Evertec since 2024, that lets merchants accept account-to-account payments on existing BCR terminals and run cashback promotions inside the app.
Covers: Zunify, SINPE Móvil, Debit cards, Credit cards
