2025-09-30
Added · Updated
Bank of Portugal amends Instruction No. 16/2022 to implement ECB regulations, granting non-bank payment service providers access to TARGET-PT and establishing maximum daily balance limits calculated as double their maximum debit transfer values. Eligible central counterparties are authorized to access intraday credit and a specific CCP credit facility without prior ECB Council approval. The regulation also introduces the 'one leg out' payment functionality in TIPS and imposes daily fines of 1,000 EUR plus 0.03% of excess balances for non-compliance with balance limits.
Instruction No. 12/2025 BO No. 9/2025 2nd Supplement • 2025/09/30 .................................................................................................................................................................................................. Topics Payment Systems :: Large Value Payment System Mod. 99999940/T – 01/14 Index Text of the Instruction Text of the Instruction Subject: Amending Instruction No. 16/2022 Following the publication of European Central Bank (ECB) Guideline (EU) 2025/1889 of 31 July 2025 (ECB/2025/28), which amends Guideline (EU) 2022/912 on a new generation pan-European automated real-time gross settlement trans-European payment system (TARGET) (ECB Guideline 2022/8), it is necessary to amend Instruction No. 16/2022 of 17 October 2022, which implements ECB Guideline 2022/8 in the domestic legal order. This amendment aims, fundamentally, to allow access by non-bank payment service providers to payment systems operated by a Eurosystem central bank and to central bank accounts, following the European Central Bank Decision (EU) 2025/222 of 27 January 2025 (ECB/2025/2); to introduce the technical payment functionality “one leg out” (TIPS OLO) in the TARGET instant payment settlement system (TIPS); and to allow central counterparties (CCPs) access to the credit facility in TARGET, granted by national central banks without the need for approval by the Governing Council of the European Central Bank. Thus, in the exercise of the competence attributed to it by Article 14 of its Organic Law, which confers powers to regulate, supervise and promote the proper functioning of payment systems, notably within the framework of its participation in the European System of Central Banks (ESCB), and with a view to regulating the functioning of the national component of TARGET – TARGET-PT – the Bank of Portugal determines the following:
Instruction No. 12/2025 BO No. 9/2025 2nd Supplement • 2025/09/30 Topics Payment Systems :: Large Value Payment System .................................................................................................................................................................................................. Mod. 99999940/T – 01/14 «43-A) “Non-bank payment service provider”;»; d) Subparagraph 63-A) is inserted: «63-A) “One leg out credit transfer order in the instant payment settlement service through TARGET (TIPS)” (TIPS OLO credit transfer order);».
In Article 10 of Instruction No. 16/2022 of 17 October, paragraph 5 shall have the following wording: «5. The NCBs of the euro area may grant eligible CCPs access to the CCP credit facility, under the conditions set out in Annex I, Part II, Article 10, paragraph 5.».
The following paragraph 8-A is inserted into Article 10 of Instruction No. 16/2022 of 17 October: «8-A. If the access of an eligible CCP to the CCP credit facility has been limited, suspended or revoked for prudential reasons in accordance with the provisions of Article 5 of Decision (EU) 2025/1734 (ECB/2025/29), the relevant NCB of the euro area must, with regard to intraday credit access, execute that decision in accordance with the contractual or regulatory provisions applied by the relevant NCB of the euro area.».
The following paragraph 7 is added to Article 26 of Instruction No. 16/2022 of 17 October: «7. By 31 December 2025, Eurosystem central banks must remove from their own accounts BIC-addressable holders and contactable parties that are part of the entities referred to in Annex I, Part I, Article 4, paragraph 2, subparagraph d-A), with the exception of the contactable parties referred to in Annex I, Part VII, Article 7.».
In Annex I of Instruction No. 16/2022 of 17 October, Part I is amended as follows: a) The following paragraph 2-A is added to Article 3: «2-A. TARGET allows for instant payments in currencies other than or to/from eligible interoperable payment systems in other currencies, which operate in central bank currency and use the TIPS platform. Eligible payment systems in other currencies are those owned and/or operated by central banks that have signed a currency participation agreement with the Eurosystem central banks, allowing them to use the TIPS platform [as a technical base] to settle instant payments.»; b) In Article 4, paragraph 2 shall have the following wording: «2. The Bank of Portugal may also, if it deems appropriate, admit as participants the following entities:
Instruction No. 12/2025 BO No. 9/2025 2nd Supplement • 2025/09/30 Topics Payment Systems :: Large Value Payment System .................................................................................................................................................................................................. Mod. 99999940/T – 01/14 a) Treasury departments of central or regional governments of Member States; b) Public sector entities of Member States authorized to maintain accounts on behalf of clients; c) i) investment firms established in the Union or in the EEA, even when operating through a branch established in the Union or in the EEA, and ii) investment firms established outside the EEA, provided they operate through a branch established in the Union or in the EEA; d) Management entities of SP acting in that capacity; d-A) Non-bank payment service providers established in the Union or in the EEA, even when operating through a branch established in the Union or in the EEA; e) Credit institutions or any entities of the types listed in subparagraphs a) to d-A), in both cases if they are established in a country with which the Union has concluded a monetary agreement allowing any of these entities access to Union payment systems, subject to the conditions established in the monetary agreement and provided that the legal regime of that country and the applicable Union legislation are equivalent.»; c) The following subparagraph h) is added to Article 5, paragraph 1: «h) If the applicant is one of the entities referred to in Article 4, paragraph 2, subparagraph d-A), compliance with i) the terms provided for in the applicable national legislation transposing Article 35-A, paragraph 1, of Directive (EU) 2015/2366 of the European Parliament and of the Council(); and ii) the procedures provided for in the relevant provisions of national law transposing Article 35-A, paragraph 2, of Directive 2015/2366. () Directive (EU) 2015/2366 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2015 on payment services in the internal market, amending Directives 2002/65/EC, 2009/110/EC and 2013/36/EU and Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010, and repealing Directive 2007/64/EC (OJ L 337 of 23.12.2015, p. 35ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2015/2366/oj).»; d) The following subparagraph f) is added to Article 5, paragraph 2: «f) If the applicant is one of the entities referred to in Article 4, paragraph 2, subparagraph d-A), for the purposes of complying with Article 5, paragraph 1, subparagraph h), or a declaration issued by the relevant national authority, or a duly signed declaration approved by the competent administrative body of the non-bank payment service provider, in both cases confirming
Instruction No. 12/2025 BO No. 9/2025 2nd Supplement • 2025/09/30 Topics Payment Systems :: Large Value Payment System .................................................................................................................................................................................................. Mod. 99999940/T – 01/14 the compliance of that entity with: i) the conditions for applying for participation in designated payment systems, as provided for in the applicable national legislation transposing Article 35-A, paragraph 1, of Directive 2015/2366; and ii) the procedures provided for in the relevant provisions of national law transposing Article 35-A, paragraph 2, of Directive 2015/2366.»; e) The following paragraph 7 is added to Article 10: «7. A participant referred to in Article 4, paragraph 2, subparagraph d-A) must submit to the Bank of Portugal, once a year, a signed declaration, approved by its competent administrative body, confirming the permanent compliance, by the participant, of the requirements established in Article 5, paragraph 2, subparagraph f), and the permanent compliance, by the participant, of the requirement to carry out adequate security controls to protect its systems against unauthorized access and use, as provided for in Article 20, paragraph 1. The Bank of Portugal has the right to verify the information provided in that declaration and to request any supporting documentation it considers reasonably necessary.»; f) The following Article 13-A is inserted: «Article 13-A Maximum balance amounts in accounts maintained by participants referred to in Article 4, paragraph 2, subparagraph d-A) and sanctions in case of non-compliance
Instruction No. 12/2025 BO No. 9/2025 2nd Supplement • 2025/09/30 Topics Payment Systems :: Large Value Payment System .................................................................................................................................................................................................. Mod. 99999940/T – 01/14 of this maximum balance amount in its application to the Bank of Portugal to participate in TARGET. b) If a participant referred to in Article 4, paragraph 2, subparagraph d-A), has not been in operation for a period of 12 months before its application to open an account in TARGET, the maximum balance amount must correspond to double the total maximum expected value of that participant’s debit cash transfer orders, including, where relevant, peripheral system transfer orders, but excluding liquidity transfers. The participant referred to in Article 4, paragraph 2, subparagraph d-A), must include its detailed calculation of the proposed maximum balance amount in its application to open an account in TARGET. c) In the 12-month period following the opening of the first active account in TARGET, the Bank of Portugal must recalculate the maximum balance amount for each participant referred to in Article 4, paragraph 2, subparagraph d-A), in all months of the first quarter, using the actual maximum value of debit cash transfer orders settled, including, where relevant, peripheral system transfer orders, but excluding liquidity transfers, since the account opening. Subsequently, the new calculation is carried out in all quarters. The recalculated maximum balance amount is applicable from the business day following the notification of the new calculation to each participant by the Bank of Portugal and until the next new calculation. d) After the first 12-month period following the opening of the first active account in TARGET, the Bank of Portugal must recalculate the maximum balance amount once a year. The new calculation must be based on the actual total maximum value of all debit cash transfer orders of a participant referred to in Article 4, paragraph 2, subparagraph d-A), including, where relevant, peripheral system transfer orders, but excluding liquidity transfers during the previous 12-month period in TARGET, and on the information provided to the Bank of Portugal in accordance with subparagraphs a) and b). e) In exceptional circumstances, the Bank of Portugal may, at its discretion, recalculate the maximum balance amount on a case-by-case basis, if a significant, imminent or already occurred change in the settlement values of a participant referred to in Article 4, paragraph 2, subparagraph d-A), is observed, which could determine non-compliance with the relevant maximum balance amount. That new calculation must be carried out in accordance with subparagraph b). 3. If the total funds in the accounts of a participant referred to in Article 4, paragraph 2, subparagraph d-A), exceed the applicable maximum balance amount, that participant
Instruction No. 12/2025 BO No. 9/2025 2nd Supplement • 2025/09/30 Topics Payment Systems :: Large Value Payment System .................................................................................................................................................................................................. Mod. 99999940/T – 01/14 must take immediate measures to reduce the total funds held to the maximum balance amount or to a lower amount. If this reduction is not possible due to a credit payment shortly before the end of the business day, the reduction must be carried out without unjustified delay after the start of the following business day. 4. If a participant referred to in Article 4, paragraph 2, subparagraph d-A), is a direct participant in a payment system that is a peripheral system of TARGET and uses the D settlement procedure for SP LBTR or SP TIPS settlement procedures, that participant must report monthly to the Bank of Portugal the maximum and average daily overnight balances in the technical accounts of the relevant TARGET peripheral system. That participant must also report monthly the maximum and average daily amounts of its settlement obligations processed in the corresponding peripheral system. 5. If a participant referred to in Article 4, paragraph 2, subparagraph d-A), fails to comply with paragraphs 1 to 3, the Bank of Portugal must apply a monetary penalty corresponding to 0.03% of the total amount exceeding the maximum balance amount held in all accounts by that participant at the end of the business day of TARGET, as well as an additional daily monetary penalty of 1,000 EUR for each day of non-compliance. 6. The accounts referred to in paragraph 1 must be reviewed no later than 12 months after 6 October 2025 and, subsequently, at least once every three years. The methods for calculating the maximum balance amount described in paragraph 2 must be reviewed no later than 12 months after 6 October 2025 and, subsequently, at least once every three years.»; g) In Article 18, paragraph 1, subparagraph b) shall have the following wording: «b) Immediate payment orders and TIPS OLO credit transfer orders are considered introduced into TARGET-PT and irrevocable at the moment of reservation of the necessary funds in the participant’s TIPS CND account or its respective TIPS SP technical account;»; h) Article 21 shall have the following wording: «Article 21 Clearing scheme If, due to a TARGET failure, a cash transfer order cannot be settled on the same business day it was accepted or cannot be presented, the Bank of Portugal must offer to clear the direct participants concerned, in accordance with the special procedure provided for in Appendix II.»;
Instruction No. 12/2025 BO No. 9/2025 2nd Supplement • 2025/09/30 Topics Payment Systems :: Large Value Payment System .................................................................................................................................................................................................. Mod. 99999940/T – 01/14 i) The following paragraphs 6 and 7 are added to Article 25: «6. If a participant referred to in Article 4, paragraph 2, subparagraph d-A), does not correct a significant non-compliance with the requirements of Article 13-A, the Bank of Portugal may terminate its participation in TARGET under the circumstances described in paragraph 2, subparagraphs b) and/or c). In derogation of the provisions of paragraph 2, the Bank of Portugal may terminate the participation in TARGET of that participant with one month’s prior notice and apply an additional single monetary penalty of 1,000 EUR for each account closed. For the purposes of this paragraph, each of the following acts is considered, among others, a case of significant non-compliance: a) Systematic or repeated violation of the limit on the maximum balance amount in question, including, without limitation, a violation that significantly exceeds the limit on the maximum balance amount in question; b) Failure to reduce the amount held in the relevant accounts to a level equal to or lower than the maximum balance amount by the end of the business day following the business day on which the funds are credited; c) Failure to comply with the obligation to report monthly the maximum and average daily overnight balances in the technical accounts of the relevant TARGET peripheral system and the maximum and average daily amounts of settlement obligations processed in the corresponding peripheral system. 7. If a participant referred to in Article 4, paragraph 2, subparagraph d-A), fails to comply with the requirements established in Article 10, paragraph 7, the Bank of Portugal may terminate the participation in TARGET of that participant under the circumstances described in paragraph 2, subparagraphs b) and/or c). In derogation of the provisions of paragraph 2, one month’s prior notice must be given to that participant.».
d) Article 11 shall have the following wording: «Article 11 Eligible collateral assets for credit Intraday credit and access to the CCP credit facility must be based on eligible collateral assets. Identical assets to those eligible for the conduct of Eurosystem monetary policy operations are eligible as collateral, subject to the same valuation and risk control rules as those established in the Bank of Portugal Instruction on the implementation of the Eurosystem monetary policy.»; e) The following Article 12-A is inserted: «Article 12-A Procedure for granting credit for the CCP credit facility