Instant Payment
 

Instant Payment and verification of payee

Pay quickly and securely with two new features for euro transfers

 
Starting from 9 October 2025, you can benefit from two innovative enhancements for SEPA transfers: Real-time transfer (instant payment) and verification of payee (VoP).

With real-time transfer, your money reaches the recipient in seconds at any time of day, including at weekends and on public holidays. The new VoP function complements this with an additional layer of security: before executing the payment, the recipient name indicated will be checked to ensure it matches the actual account holder. This means that incorrect transfers and attempted fraud can be avoided even more effectively.

These innovations build on existing security standards and will make your payments faster, more secure and more transparent in the future.

Useful tip

VoP is free for you. The price of SEPA payments will not change - your payments will be more secure and faster, but not more expensive.

Real-time transfer (instant payment)

What is this?

With instant payment, euro transfers are executed in a matter of seconds at any time of day, including at weekends and on public holidays. The amount is immediately available to the recipient, which is particularly advantageous for urgent payments or in everyday business.

Your advantages at a glance:

  • 365 days a year, transfer 24/7
  • Europe-wide in SEPA countries at participating banks
  • Available within VP Bank e-Banking
  • No additional costs - just as for standard SEPA transfers

Verification of payee (VoP)

What is this?

For euro transfers, VoP checks in real-time whether the name of the payee matches the IBAN, based on the data stored with the recipient bank.

This check takes place before your bank or payment service provider executes the transaction. The aim is to avoid mistakes and prevent fraudulent payments. This is an important step as part of the EU initiative to ensure greater security in payment transactions.

Overview of your advantages:

  • Automatic verification of name and IBAN for euro transfers
  • Protection against incorrect transfers and fraud
  • Free for all clients
  • How VoP works

As soon as you register a euro payment, VoP becomes active in the background. The function compares the name entered against the account name lodged with the recipient bank and informs you of the result before the payment is executed. You will be informed of the particular outcome, which will help you to make the payment securely and correctly.

ResultMeaningYour options
✅ MatchThe name and IBAN matchThe payment will be executed as usual
⚠️ Close matchThe name is similar, but not exactly the sameWarning message – you can check the information
❌ No matchThe name does not match the IBANCancel, correct or nonetheless execute the payment
⛔ Service not availableVoP is temporarily unavailableCancel the payment, return to the payment, check again or execute accepting the risk

What you as a payer should consider

In order to ensure that your transfer is executed smoothly and securely:

  • Use the exact name as it appears on official documents or invoices alongside the IBAN.
  • If you are unsure, ask the recipient for the correct account name.
  • Regularly update stored recipient data to avoid incorrect entries.

What you can do as a payee

Help your clients make payments correctly and without delay:

  • Enter the exact account name as it appears on the account statements.
  • Provide the name visibly alongside the IBAN on invoices, offers or payment requests.
  • Update your information in case of any changes to your bank details.

Tipp

It is important to provide the payer with the correct account name along with the IBAN, even with private payments. This helps to avoid the payment being delayed or rejected. For particularly secure and fast payments, we recommend using VP Bank e-Banking or mobile banking.

FAQs

Instant Payment

Do I need to actively do anything in order to use real-time transfer and VoP?

No. If you have a payment transaction account with VP Bank that includes e-banking access, you can automatically use both functions. However, this is only possible if the receiving bank supports the respective procedure.

How does real-time transfer work?

Enter your payment as usual in VP Bank e-Banking or mobile banking. If you actively select the “real time” option and the recipient can be contacted, the amount will be credited within seconds at any time, even at weekends.

If the real-time option is not selected, the transfer will proceed as previously in the traditional manner.

How fast is a real-time transfer?

Real-time transfers are usually executed within a couple of seconds. You will receive a prompt response as to whether the amount has been successfully credited to the recipient’s account.

How much will a real-time transfer cost me?

Real-time transfers do not entail any additional costs for private clients. The fees are the same as those charged for a regular, standard SEPA transfer. Receipt of a real-time transfer is also free of charge for private clients. Business clients, on the other hand, are billed according to the specific account model agreed upon.

What requirements apply to real-time transfers?

Real-time transfers are available for euro payments within the SEPA zone, provided that the payment is SEPA-compatible and the recipient bank participates in real-time processes. Additionally, the “real time” option must be actively selected in e-Banking.

The function is already available for clients of VP Bank Luxembourg.

Verification of Payee (VoP)

What is VoP (verification of payee) and how does it work?

VoP checks whether the recipient name entered matches the actual account holder before executing a payment. This means that incorrect transfers and attempted fraud can be detected at an early stage.

The verification only takes place for SEPA-compatible payments, where the recipient bank participates in the VoP procedure.

What happens if there is a no-match?

In this case, you will receive a message.

In the event of a “no match”, you can cancel the payment, correct the details or nonetheless proceed with the payment - subject to the warning that the data do not match.

In the event of a “close match”, a warning will be displayed so that you can check the details once again.

What does VoP cost?

The recipient check is free of charge for clients of VP Bank. No additional fees are incurred.

What if I don’t know the recipient’s exact name?

Use the name as stated on official documents or invoices. If in doubt, ask the recipient directly for the correct and complete account name.

Can I disable VoP?

Private clients: no, VoP is mandatory according to EU Regulation 2024/886.

Business/institutional clients: yes, under certain circumstances in cases involving multiple transfers via file transmission (e.g. EBICS), provided that the Bank supports opt-outs on a technical level and that the risk is borne by the client.

What benefit does VoP give me as a company or individual?

VoP helps to avoid incorrect transfers, protects against attempted fraud and ensures greater trust in payment transactions, for both payers and recipients.

Welche Voraussetzungen gelten für VoP?

VoP is exclusively available for euro payments within the SEPA zone. In order for the recipient check to be carried out, the recipient bank must support VoP. Moreover, VoP only works with SEPA-compatible payments that meet the technical and regulatory requirements applicable within the SEPA area.

Since October 2025, it has applied primarily to banks in EU countries that have the euro as the national currency. Other EU and EEA banks will follow, starting in 2027. Banks outside the EU/EEA, such as in Switzerland, the United Kingdom or elsewhere around the world, are excluded from the procedure.

More information