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Instant transfers
Money transfers on the spot
What instant transfers offer you
To the European Union and other countries
Use instant transfers to transfer money to accounts in countries included in the SEPA zone.
Only in euro
You can transfer money to your own or third-party accounts abroad only in euro, even if the account to be charged is in another currency.
No need to wait
Transfer money to an account within 10 seconds.
24/7, all year round
Send money to an account abroad, any time you want:
- 24 hours a day
- 7 days a week
- On public holidays and weekends
€0.50 minimum fee
The instant transfers do not incur additional fees compared to simple money transfers to SEPA countries.
You only pay the fees for Alpha Bank (SHA) – €0.50 for amounts up to €5,000
Find all the fees in Alpha Bank’s transaction terms.
Find out more about instant transfers
What transfers you can carry out
All types of transfers to SEPA countries
Carry out any transfer you need without restrictions, such as:
- To accounts of natural or legal persons.
- Bill payments.
- Payments for products and services.
- Payments with QR Code and other digital payment methods.
Up to €50,000 / transaction
Transfer money to your own or third-party accounts abroad, up to €50,000 for each transaction.
There is no limit to the amount you may receive into your account every day.
For individuals and businesses
This service is available to both individuals and businesses.
Have a look at how you can carry out instant transfers if you:
Read the special terms for instant transfers.
How you are protected
To complete the transaction, Verification of Payee (VoP) is carried out:
- Fill in the IBAN of the account you want to transfer money to and the name or business name of the recipient, before you confirm the transaction.
- We send the details to the recipient’s bank and they are checked against the details registered with the bank abroad.
- You get the result of the validation process (match, no match, close match, verification not possible or not applicable).
- Based on the result you get, you decide whether you’ll complete the transaction.
As of 09.10.2025 Verification of Payee (VoP) is mandatory for all money transfers, pursuant to the regulations on payment security and credibility.
Can I transfer money online?
Transfer money on the spot provided you...
- Hold an Alpha Bank account.
- Have e-Banking credentials.
- Have updated your details at Alpha Bank.
- Ensure the bank you want to transfer the money to supports instant transfers.
Have at hand...
- The IBAN to which you want to transfer money.
- The recipient’s name as registered in the account details.
No e-Banking?
Get credentials
From your computer or mobile
If you hold an active Alpha Bank debit or credit card, you can get credentials on the spot, without visiting a branch.
Start banking with us
Online, without visiting a branch
Open your first account with Alpha Bank and get e-Banking credentials online.
Any questions?
Find the answers you need about instant transfers.
What’s the difference between an instant transfer and an urgent payment?
There are 4 key differences between instant transfers and urgent payments:
- Time of transfer – With instant transfers, the recipient receives the transaction amount in a few seconds, while with urgent payments the amount is transferred within the same business day.
- Cancel option – Instant transfers do not allow you to cancel the transaction, as the amount is transferred immediately, while with urgent payments it is possible to cancel the transaction.
- Receiving countries – For the time being, instant transfers can only be carried out among SEPA banks, while urgent payments can be carried out to any bank in the world.
- Transfer limit – With instant transfers you can transfer up to €50,000 / transaction, while with urgent payments you can transfer an unlimited amount.
Can I cancel a transfer I’ve carried out using instant transfers?
How do I carry on once I receive a verification response?
- Valid / Match – The name of the recipient you filled in matches the IBAN. You may complete the transaction.
- Invalid / No Match – The name of the recipient you filled in does not match the IBAN. Check the details again before you complete the transaction.
- Close Match – The name of the recipient you filled in closely resembles the corresponding name at the recipient's bank, but it is not a perfect match (e.g. different name spelling). You choose whether you want to complete the transaction.
- Verification not possible or not applicable – You do not get any verification response. You can start over.