As noted in the press release, with the introduction of SEPA, transfers in euros have become significantly more accessible to Moldovans.
Between October 2025 and June 2026, approximately 829,000 SEPA transactions were processed. If these transfers had been made via SWIFT, the total cost to the Moldovan economy would have been approximately 12.5 million euros.
Thanks to SEPA, the total amount of transfer fees was only 917,000 euros. The average cost per transaction fell from the mandatory minimum of 20 euros to just 1.11 euros.
As a result, Moldovan households and businesses saved approximately 11.6 million euros—money that remained in the country’s economy rather than being spent on international banking fees.
Today, the cost of SEPA transfers is more than 14 times lower than the previous SWIFT fees.
Individuals mainly use SEPA to receive funds, including remittances, salaries, and financial support from family members abroad. About 75% of all SEPA transactions (approximately 625,200 transfers) were incoming payments. Nearly 516,800 incoming transfers were made to individuals, totaling more than 533.4 million euros, allowing families across Moldova to receive money faster and at a much lower cost.
Companies primarily use SEPA to make international payments and pay for imports. Businesses made approximately 126,800 outgoing payments totaling 3.3 billion euros.
“Significantly reduced transaction fees help companies protect their profits while significantly increasing their competitiveness in the European market,” according to a press release from the EU Delegation.
