The Central Bank of Cuba announced that a new modality for paying retirees and pensioners is being rolled out in April 2026, leveraging support from micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (Mipymes) and Local Development Projects to provide payments through the “caja extra” service on an experimental basis. For the initial service cycle from 14 to 17 April, Banco Metropolitano is coordinating with commercial centres in Havana municipalities to deliver the payments. The Central Bank’s pilot plan, implemented together with the National Institute of Assistance and Social Security and local economic actors, started with three Mipymes and one Local Development Project: MPM Mec S.U.R.L (Playa), MPM La Mekanica S.U.R.L (Havana Vieja), MPM La Calesa Real (Havana Vieja) and PDL La Moneda Dura (Havana Vieja). The approach is intended to bring services closer to beneficiaries’ places of residence and reduce congestion at bank branches, with operating conditions and organisational steps to be further specified as the scheme is consolidated.
Central Bank of Cuba 2026-04-14
Central Bank of Cuba pilots retiree and pensioner payments through caja extra with SMEs and local development projects
The Central Bank of Cuba is piloting a new modality for paying retirees and pensioners via the “caja extra” service, using micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and Local Development Projects as payment points. The initial April 2026 rollout in Havana, coordinated by Banco Metropolitano and involving three Mipymes and one Local Development Project, aims to bring services closer to beneficiaries and reduce congestion at bank branches, with conditions to be refined as the scheme is consolidated.