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2026-05-19

PSD-1 Circular No. 03: Regarding 'Add Money' from Card to MFS Personal Account

The Payment Systems Department-1 of Bangladesh Bank mandates that MFS providers implement a token transaction of up to BDT 500 for the initial card-to-account linking, which must be completed 24 hours before the card is activated for regular transactions. Providers are required to classify card-based 'Add Money' transactions as fund transfers rather than merchant payments and ensure the beneficiary wallet number is visible to the card issuer by July 31, 2026, or face a transaction block starting August 1, 2026. These directives apply to all MFS providers and scheduled banks, superseding previous token requirements for regular transactions after the specified date.

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Bangladesh Bank

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Bangladesh Bank (Central Bank of Bangladesh) Head Office Motijheel, Dhaka-1000 Bangladesh.

Payment Systems Department-1

19 May 2026 PSD-1 Circular No. 03/2026 Dated------------------- 05 Joishtha 1433

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer All MFS Providers and Scheduled Banks in Bangladesh

Dear Sir,

Regarding 'Add Money' from Card to MFS Personal Account.

In the context of 'Add Money' from Card to MFS Personal Account, you are hereby directed as follows:

  1. As a temporary measure for 'Add Money' from Card to MFS Personal Account, a single token transaction of up to 500 (Five Hundred) Taka must be conducted for the first-time linking of the card to the said account. The card may be linked to the MFS account for transactions only after 24 hours of the successful completion of the said transaction.

  2. From 01/08/2026 onwards, for 'Add Money' from Card to MFS Personal Account, regular transactions may be conducted with the MFS account linked, provided it is confirmed that the MFS account is registered in the name of the cardholder. In such cases, there will be no obligation for a token transaction for card linking.

  3. For 'Add Money' from Card to MFS Personal Account, MFS providers must arrange for the transaction to be considered/identified as a Fund Transfer instead of a Merchant Payment. Additionally, the beneficiary account (wallet) number must be visible to the card-issuing institution at the time of transaction occurrence. If this arrangement is not ensured by 31/07/2026, the opportunity for 'Add Money' from Card to MFS account must be blocked from 01/08/2026.

  4. In the case of other transactions through MFS Personal Accounts, the previously issued PSD Circular No. 05/2025 dated 27/03/2025 shall remain in force.

The aforementioned directives shall be implemented immediately.

Yours faithfully,

(Signature)

(A.N.M. Mainul Kabir) Director (PSD-1) Phone: 02-9533334

Phone: 88-02-9550448, 9554896, IP: 88-02-56655001-6, Fax: 88-02-9530479, Web: www.bb.org.bd

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