2026-01-29

Regulation No. 2020-04 on Payment Services and Electronic Money Issuance (Payment Institutions and EMI)

The Central Bank of the Republic of San Marino issued Regulation No. 2020-04 to establish the comprehensive regulatory framework for payment institutions and electronic money institutions. The regulation defines the scope of application, authorization procedures, and ongoing prudential requirements, including capital adequacy and organizational standards. It further outlines the rights and obligations of key personnel, significant shareholders, and foreign entities operating within the jurisdiction.

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REGULATION ON PAYMENT SERVICES AND ELECTRONIC MONEY ISSUANCE

(PAYMENT INSTITUTIONS AND EMIs) Year 2020 / Number 04

(Consolidated text as of 29/01/2026 - Update VIII)

Central Bank of the Republic of San Marino Regulation No. 2020-04 on payment services and electronic money issuance (payment institutions and EMIs) – Update VIII

INDEX

PART I INTRODUCTION

TITLE I PRELIMINARIES Article I.I.1 - Legal Sources .............................................................................................................. 9 Article I.I.2 - Definitions ...................................................................................................................... 9

TITLE II OBJECTIVES AND STRUCTURE OF THE PROVISION Article I.II.1 – Objectives.. ...................................................................................................................... 19 Article I.II.2 – References… ...................................................................................................................... 20 Article I.II.3 - Preparation ................................................................................................................ 20 Article I.II.4 - Structure ....................................................................................................................... 20

TITLE III EXCLUSIONS AND INSTITUTIONS UNDER SPECIAL REGIME Article I.III.1 - Exclusions from the scope of application ...................................................................... 21 Article I.III.2 - Obligation to communicate ......................................................................................... 23 Article I.III.3 - Institutions under special regime ............................................................................................ 23

PART II ACTIVITIES OF INSTITUTIONS

TITLE I PRELIMINARIES Article II.I.1 - Legal Sources ........................................................................................................... 24 Article II.I.2 - Administrative Sanctions .............................................................................................. 24

TITLE II EXERCISABLE ACTIVITIES Article II.II.1 - Reserved Activities......................................................................................................... 24 Article II.II.2 - Illegal Practice ................................................................................................................ 25 Article II.II.3 - Financing Activities.................................................................................................... 25 Article II.II.4 - Other Exercisable Activities............................................................................................. 26 Article II.II.5 - Savings Collection Instruments............................................................................ 26

TITLE III REQUIREMENTS REGARDING PROTECTION OF CLIENT FUNDS Article II.III.1 - Common forms of protection and dedicated equity ........................................................ 26 Article II.III.2 - Accounting records of client funds.............................................................. 27 Article II.III.3 - Methods for keeping funds received from clients for payment services or against issued electronic money..................................................................... 27

PART III AUTHORIZATION

TITLE I PRELIMINARIES Article III.I.1 - Legal Sources.......................................................................................................... 29 Article III.I.2 - Administrative Sanctions............................................................................................. 29

TITLE II AUTHORIZATION FOR CONSTITUTION Article III.II.1 - Signatories of the application ........................................................................................... 29 Article III.II.2 - Form of the application ............................................................................................... 29 Article III.II.3 - Content of the application ......................................................................................... 29 Article III.II.4 - Declaration of controlling subjects..................................................................... 30 Article III.II.5 - Beneficial Owners......................................................................................................... 31 Article III.II.6 - Methods of submitting the application ................................................................ 31 Article III.II.7 - Term of the provision...................................................................................................... 31 Article III.II.8 - Suspension of the term ........................................................................................... 31 Article III.II.9 - Interruption of the term............................................................................................ 31

TITLE III MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS Article III.III.1 - Criteria for drafting the deed of incorporation.................................................................. 32 Article III.III.2 - Legal type............................................................................................................... 33 Article III.III.3 - Company Seat .................................................................................................... 33

Central Bank of the Republic of San Marino Regulation No. 2020-04 on payment services and electronic money issuance (payment institutions and EMIs) – Update VIII 2

Article III.III.4 - Share Capital........................................................................................................ 34 Article III.III.5 - Locked Deposit................................................................................................... 34 Article III.III.6 - Requirements for promoters............................................................................................ 35 Article III.III.7 - Requirements for corporate officers.......................................................................... 35 Article III.III.8 - Activity Program ...................................................................................................... 35

TITLE IV INTERMEDIATE COMPLIANCE Article III.IV.1 - Constitution of companies........................................................................................ 36 Article III.IV.2 - Transmission of the deed of incorporation ........................................................................... 36

TITLE V ELIGIBILITY FOR COMMENCEMENT OF OPERATIONS Article III.V.1 - Preliminaries ................................................................................................................... 36 Article III.V.2 - Terms of the application............................................................................................. 37 Article III.V.3 - Form of the application ............................................................................................... 37 Article III.V.4 - Content of the application ......................................................................................... 37 Article III.V.5 - Variations and integrations to the activity program................................................. 37 Article III.V.6 - Methods of submitting the application ................................................................ 37 Article III.V.7 - Term of the provision ..................................................................................................... 38 Article III.V.8 - Reiteration of the application ..................................................................................... 38 Article III.V.9 - Minimum requirements ....................................................................................................... 38 Article III.V.10 - Inspections..................................................................................................... 39 Article III.V.11 - Communication of commencement of operations....................................................................... 39

TITLE VI ACTIVITIES OF FOREIGN ENTITIES Chapter I Branches of foreign PSP..........................................................................................................................39 Article III.VI.1 - Requirements for authorization ................................................................................. 39 Article III.VI.2 - Authorization application..................................................................................... 40 Article III.VI.3 - Activity Program...................................................................................................... 41 Article III.VI.4 - Requirements for branch managers.............................................................................................. 42 Article III.VI.5 - Authorization procedure........................................................................................... 42 Article III.VI.6 - Applicable provisions........................................................................................... 42

Chapter II Provision of services without establishment.........................................................................................43 Article III.VI.7- Scope of application of the discipline................................................................... 43 Article III.VI.8 - Conditions for authorization .............................................................................. 44 Article III.VI.9 - Authorization application..................................................................................... 45 Article III.VI.10 - Authorization procedure......................................................................................... 46 Article III.VI.11 - Applicable provisions......................................................................................... 46

Chapter III Representative Offices .....................................................................................................................46 Article III.VI.12 - Prohibition on exercising reserved activities ................................................................ 46 Article III.VI.13 - Requirements ................................................................................................................ 46 Article III.VI.14 - Procedure............................................................................................................... 46

TITLE VII VARIATION, WAIVER, AND REVOCATION OF AUTHORIZATION Article III.VII.1 - Request for variation........................................................................................... 47 Article III.VII.2 - Waiver of authorization ................................................................................... 48 Article III.VII.3 - Revocation of authorization.................................................................................... 48

PART IV CORPORATE OFFICERS

TITLE I REFERENCE Article IV.I.1 – Applicable provisions for corporate officers of institutions....................................... 50

PART V OWNERSHIP STRUCTURES

TITLE I PRELIMINARIES Article V.I.1 - Legal Sources........................................................................................................... 51

Central Bank of the Republic of San Marino Regulation No. 2020-04 on payment services and electronic money issuance (payment institutions and EMIs) – Update VIII 3

Article V.I.2 - Administrative Sanctions.............................................................................................. 51

TITLE II REQUIREMENTS Chapter I Honesty ..............................................................................................................................................51 Article V.II.1 - Requirements..................................................................................................................... 51 Article V.II.2 - Certification methods .......................................................................................... 52 Article V.II.3 - Foreign certificates.......................................................................................................... 52 Article V.II.4 - Validity requirements for certificates.............................................................................. 52 Article V.II.5 - Exempted subjects......................................................................................................... 52

Chapter II Sound and Prudent Management .....................................................................................................53 Article V.II.6 - Requirements..................................................................................................................... 53 Article V.II.7 - Information Note ........................................................................................................ 54 Article V.II.8 - Attached Documentation........................................................................................... 55

TITLE III AUTHORIZATION FOR ACQUISITION OF SIGNIFICANT PARTICIPATIONS Article V.III.1 - Scope of application............................................................................................. 55 Article V.III.2 - Subjected parties........................................................................................................... 56 Article V.III.3 - Authorization application ...................................................................................... 56 Article V.III.4 - Declaration of controlling subjects..................................................................... 57 Article V.III.5 - Term of the provision ...................................................................................................... 57 Article V.III.6 - Evaluation criteria ................................................................................................ 57

TITLE IV COMMUNICATION OBLIGATIONS Article V.IV.1 - Ownership structures..................................................................................................... 58 Article V.IV.2 - Voting agreements......................................................................................................... 58

TITLE V INTERVENTION POWERS Article V.V.1 - Revocation of authorization........................................................................................ 59 Article V.V.2 - Annulment of shareholder resolutions.................................................................. 59 Article V.V.3 - Order to alienate the participation................................................................................ 59 Article V.V.4 - Verification on the permanence of requirements ..................................................................... 59

PART VI BALANCE SHEET

TITLE I PRELIMINARIES Article VI.I.1 - Legal Sources.......................................................................................................... 61 Article VI.I.2 - Administrative Sanctions ............................................................................................ 61

TITLE II GENERAL NORMS Article VI.II.1 - General obligations...................................................................................................... 61 Article VI.II.2 - Composition of the balance sheet ....................................................................................... 61 Article VI.II.3 - Audit obligations for Sanmarinese institutions and branches of foreign institutions ........................................................................................................................ 61 Article VI.II.4 - Certification of the audit firm and auditors...................................................................... 62 Article VI.II.5 - Reference ....................................................................................................................... 62

PART VII PRUDENTIAL SUPERVISION

TITLE I PRELIMINARIES Article VII.I.1 - Legal Sources ........................................................................................................ 63 Article VII.I.2 - Administrative Sanctions ........................................................................................... 63 Article VII.I.3 - Extension of organizational adequacy requirements.............................................................................. 63

TITLE II SUPERVISORY CAPITAL Article VII.II.1 - Structure of supervisory capital....................................................................................... 63 Article VII.II.2 - Basic Capital................................................................................................................... 63 Article VII.II.3 - Supplementary Capital....................................................................................................... 64 Article VII.II.4 - Deductions ................................................................................................................ 64

Central Bank of the Republic of San Marino Regulation No. 2020-04 on payment services and electronic money issuance (payment institutions and EMIs) – Update VIII 4

Article VII.II.5 - Limits and restrictions................................................................................................... 65 Article VII.II.6 - Minimum amount of supervisory capital ............................................................ 65 Article VII.II.7 - Derogations ................................................................................................................... 65

TITLE III CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS Article VII.III.1 - Mandatory Provisioning................................................................................ 65 Article VII.III.2 - Requirement against payment services provided.............................................................................. 65 Article VII.III.3 - Calculation Method A .............................................................................................. 66 Article VII.III.4 - Calculation Method B....................................................................................................... 66 Article VII.III.5 - Requirement against the issuance of electronic money........................................................................ 66 Article VII.III.6 - Requirement against credit risk..................................................................................................... 67 Article VII.III.7 - Specific provisions ......................................................................................................... 67 Article VII.III.8 - Overall capital requirement...................................................................................................... 67

TITLE IV ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS Chapter I General Norms.......................................................................................................................................67 Article VII.IV.1 - Characteristics of the organization ....................................................................................... 68 Article VII.IV.2 - Corporate control functions .............................................................................................................. 69 Article VII.IV.3 - Role of corporate bodies and dialectics in the exercise of corporate governance functions ......................................................................................................... 70

Chapter II Corporate Bodies and Structures.........................................................................................................70 Article VII.IV.4 - Board of Directors....................................................................................................................... 70 Article VII.IV.5 - Head of the executive structure.......................................................................................................... 71 Article VII.IV.6 - Internal auditing............................................................................................................................. 72 Article VII.IV.7 - Compliance................................................................................................................................. 72 Article VII.IV.8 - [Text truncated in source]