The National Bank of Moldova published remarks by Governor Anca Dragu delivered at the launch of the Romanian Investors Association’s (AIR) representative office in Bucharest, where she pointed to recent changes aimed at making Moldova more accessible to investors, including closer alignment with European financial-market infrastructure. The address highlighted Moldova’s accession to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), operational since October 2025, noting that 7 in 10 euro payments were processed via SEPA over the first three months and generated estimated savings of about EUR 3.85 million compared with using the traditional SWIFT channel. Dragu also pointed to the National Bank of Moldova’s MIA Instant Payments system, described as having more than 800,000 users, with every second bank cardholder making payments through MIA, and referenced progress in liberalising foreign-exchange operations, developing the capital market and facilitating foreign investors’ access to Moldova’s market. The speech also cited a cumulative three-notch improvement in Moldova’s sovereign rating over the past two years.
National Bank of Moldova 2026-01-24
National Bank of Moldova governor highlights SEPA cost savings and MIA instant payments uptake at Romanian Investors Association launch
Governor Anca Dragu of the National Bank of Moldova highlighted Moldova's accession to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and the MIA Instant Payments system, noting significant euro payment processing and user engagement. She also discussed progress in liberalizing foreign-exchange operations, capital market development, and a three-notch improvement in Moldova’s sovereign rating.