Instant credit transfers - Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Find answers to frequently asked questions about instant credit transfers below.

What are instant credit transfers?

Instant credit transfers are carried out and processed immediately. Payees receive their money in seconds and the amount in question appears on their account right away.

They can be made 24/7, including at night and weekends and on public and bank holidays.

Instant credit transfers are only available through banks participating in this scheme. Sixteen Belgian banks took part in its launch, making some 90% of current accounts in Belgium available for the service. A growing list of banks in Belgium will offer this service going forward.

Why have we introduced instant credit transfers?

You expect a real-time view of your incoming and outgoing payments, the balance of your accounts and your available working capital. So, the faster transfers are processed, the more accurate that view will be.

Does KBC Brussels offer instant credit transfers?

If you have an account with us in Belgium, you can use it to receive and send individual credit transfers. This is not available for batched payments for the time being.

Our Touch, Mobile and K'Ching apps and our ATMs all let you send instant credit transfers (provided you have a KBC Brussels Plus Account or Business Account), as do our Business Dashboard, Online for Business and Reach services. You can also make instant credit transfers using our KBC Brussels Business app.

Are my credit transfers always instant?

We process your SEPA credit transfers instantly wherever possible. This means that the money will appear on the payee’s account right away. If the service isn’t available like when the receiving bank hasn’t yet joined the scheme, the money will still be credited to the payee’s account on the same day, provided the transfer is registered before 4 p.m.* using Online for Business, Reach or our Business app. If you enter your payment order before 2.30 p.m. another way, the money will still be credited to the payee bank on the same day.

* A transfer order is only fully submitted to us once you’ve signed and sent it to us correctly, we’ve received it and the amount can be debited from the account (on any weekday apart from 1 January, Good Friday, Easter Monday, 1 May, and 25 and 26 December).

How can I make sure that my credit transfer is instant?

Select 'Instant only' and your SEPA credit transfer will be processed instantly.
If this is not possible, your transfer will not be carried out and you will be duly notified.

What are the benefits to me?

You can make and receive individual payments instantly 24/7/365, making the money available to you or the payee in seconds.

You don’t have to do anything to get the fastest service, which we give you as standard where possible.

Are instant credit transfers also possible outside Belgium?

You can receive and send instant transfers from and to Belgian and other European banks.

Can international KBC Brussels branch customers also transfer money instantly?

Instant credit transfers can only be made from and to Belgian accounts for the time being. We do, however, plan to extend the service to accounts held at our international branches. Stay tuned for more details and updates in this regard.

What do instant credit transfers cost?

We don’t charge anything extra for this service.

Is there a maximum transaction amount for instant credit transfers?

We’ll be executing your transfers as ordinary ones for the time being, even if they’re already incorporated into your accounting package. GoThere is no general payment limit for instant credit transfers between banks in Belgium. Instant credit transfers between banks in the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) are limited to 100,000 euros per transaction (as of 1 July 2020), unless the banks concerned agree not to apply the limit.

Participating banks can set their own limits for their customers. Our limit for outgoing instant credit transfers is 1,000,000 euros. Higher amounts will still be credited to the payee’s account on the same day, provided the transfer is registered before 4 p.m.* using Online for Business, Reach or our Business app. If you enter your payment order before 2.30 p.m. another way, the money will still be credited to the payee bank on the same day.

The standard transfer limits for certain services still apply.

* A transfer order is only fully submitted to us once you’ve signed and sent it to us correctly, we’ve received it and the amount can be debited from the account (on any weekday apart from 1 January, Good Friday, Easter Monday, 1 May, and 25 and 26 December).
ing forward, you’ll be able to opt for instant credit transfers.

Will there be any CODA-related changes?

Instant credit transfers can be made on any calendar day. We now help you keep your bookkeeping updated by giving you daily reports at no extra charge.

That includes at weekends and on public and bank holidays, and applies to all report-related services offered, i.e.:

  • CODA
  • SWIFT MT94x
  • CAMT.05x
  • Isabel

Will there be any changes for cash pools?

Belgian cash pool accounts are zero-balanced every calendar day, including at weekends and on public and bank holidays.

Aren’t instant credit transfers already available through my accounting software?

We only process individual transfers as instant credit transfers. Batched payments are not processed as instant credit transfers, even though your accounting software may be telling you differently.

Can I still ask for urgent processing?

We’re unable to process all SEPA credit transfers instantly. You can still opt for standard processing or pay for priority processing.

That includes:

  • Payments from accounts held with other banks
  • Scheduled payments
  • Payments from accounts held with KBC Brussels group banks outside Belgium
  • Payments using Isabel, SWIFT for Corporates and Transfer
  • Batch entries and batched payments

What about batched payments?

Batched payments are not processed instantly, though we do process batched payments from Belgian KBC Brussels accounts faster:

  • What happens if I submit a batched payment order before 2.30 p.m.?*
    Your batched payments will appear on the payee’s account the same day without needing to ask for urgent processing.

  • What if, after 2.30 p.m., I want batched payments to be made to the payee’s bank on the same day? (on weekdays**)
    This is only possible for files with a maximum of 1 transaction and until 4 p.m. at the latest. Opt to pay for urgent processing.

* A transfer order is only fully submitted to us once you’ve signed and sent it to us correctly, we’ve received it and the amount can be debited from the account (on any weekday apart from 1 January, Good Friday, Easter Monday, 1 May, and 25 and 26 December).
** Every weekday apart from 1 January, Good Friday, Easter Monday, 1 May, and 25 and 26 December.