Colombia’s Banco de la República (Central Bank of Colombia) has officially launched Bre‑B, a national, 24/7 digital payments system designed to enable instant, low-cost transactions across financial institutions. This strategic move is poised to accelerate digital financial inclusion, reduce reliance on cash, boost competition among banks and fintechs, and increase users’ trust in the financial industry.
Regulatory context
Bre‑B is governed by Circular DSP-465 and subsequent regulatory frameworks led by the Central Bank. A series of webinars and industry consultations were held in 2024 and 2025 to ensure sector readiness and alignment with legal and operational standards.
Institutions integrating into the system must meet interoperability, cybersecurity, and technical architecture requirements. The system is designed to be open and inclusive, offering lower entry barriers for new digital financial players.
However, Bre-B’s operation does not change any regulations regarding taxes, AML, or the provision of financial services in the country.
Financial inclusion
According to Banco de la República, the initiative aims to advance financial inclusion in Colombia, where cash remains the primary means of daily transactions for almost 80% of the population. By fostering greater competition and interoperability among banks, fintech companies, digital financial services, and credit cooperatives, the new system seeks to enhance accessibility and choice in the financial sector.
What Bre-B means for digital payments
With Bre-B, the financial industry in the country takes a step forward, promoting digital transactions and a user-centric environment. As a result, banks and fintechs should quickly adapt their service offering to integrate with Bre‑B or risk losing market share to more agile, innovative competitors.
Key areas to consider for companies:
- Digital wallets (such as Nequi or Daviplata) and cooperatives now gain equal access to the national payment rails – levelling the playing field.
- Merchants and consumers will benefit from simplified, instant, secure digital payments, reducing costs and expanding digital commerce.
- Users can keep control of their keys (llaves) and avoid sharing personal data.
- There are four different configurations for users’ keys: national ID, mobile number, a combination of 6 alphanumeric characters, or an email address.
Seizing Colombia’s Bre‑B opportunity
The launch of Bre‑B marks a paradigm shift in Colombia’s financial ecosystem, introducing an open, real-time digital payment infrastructure that levels the playing field for banks, fintechs, and financial institutions. By mandating interoperability and enabling low-cost transactions through key-based payments, Bre‑B is expected to compress margins in traditional banking while unlocking new business models in embedded finance, digital wallets, and merchant services.
With Access Partnership at your side, your organisation will be well-equipped to navigate through the fintech opportunities in Colombia. Drawing on our deep regulatory insight and market expertise, we help clients stay agile and prepared for the evolving digital landscape.
To learn how your organisation can navigate the implications of Bre-B and other innovative regulatory reforms and leverage opportunities in this evolving landscape, please contact Geusseppe Gonzalez at [email protected].
