The Central Bank of Colombia reported that Bre-B, Colombia’s instant payments system, has received a Central Banking Awards 2026 prize in the “Payments and market infrastructure development – retail segment” category, recognising the rollout of a federated system intended to modernise the country’s instant payments infrastructure and support electronic retail transactions. The award citation highlighted agile implementation, proactive regulation and effective adoption by market participants, supported by a regulatory framework designed to incentivise participant onboarding. The central bank framed Bre-B as complementing its high-value payments infrastructures with a fast, fully interoperable retail payments capability; the modernisation project began more than three years ago and went live in 2025.
Central Bank of Colombia 2026-03-19
Central Bank of Colombia wins Central Banking Award for Bre-B retail instant payments development
The Central Bank of Colombia announced that Bre-B, the country's instant payments system, won a Central Banking Awards 2026 prize for "Payments and market infrastructure development – retail segment." The award recognizes Bre-B's agile implementation, proactive regulation, and effective market adoption, enhancing Colombia's retail payments infrastructure. The system complements high-value payments with a fast, interoperable retail capability, operational since 2025.