Countries › Costa Rica › Guide › 10. Capital markets and finance › Payments, card fees and virtual assets in Costa Rica: BCCR fee caps, SUGEF registration and the 2026 crypto rules

Payments, card fees and virtual assets in Costa Rica: BCCR fee caps, SUGEF registration and the 2026 crypto rules

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Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Changing

The BCCR caps card fees under Ley 9831: since 18 December 2025 the domestic interchange cap is 1.00% and the domestic acquiring (merchant) cap 1.95% (1.50% for fuel stations, EV charging, tolls, regulated transport and charities); cross border acquiring is capped at 2.50%. Money remitters, transfer businesses, card issuers and non bank trust administrators must register with SUGEF as single purpose companies for AML supervision. Since September 2026 virtual asset service providers must also register with SUGEF; registration is not an operating licence.

USD figures use the Banco Central de Costa Rica reference selling rate of ₡454.82 per US dollar published for 29 October 2026 (indicator 318 on bccr.fi.cr), rounded to the cent.

Key facts

Domestic card interchange fee cap	1.00 %BCCR RSTP art. 44, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Domestic card acquiring (merchant) fee cap	1.95 %BCCR RSTP art. 45, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Cross border card acquiring fee cap	2.50 %BCCR RSTP art. 47, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
SUGEF registration for remitters, transfer firms, card issuers and VASPs	Yes, AML registration (not a licence) textLey 7786 art. 15 and 15 quater, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Rate used for USD conversions (BCCR reference selling rate published for 29 Oct 2026)	454.82 CRC per USDBCCR indicator 318, as of 2026-10-30 · in force

The rule

1. The BCCR sets maximum interchange fees that card issuers may charge, maximum acquiring fees and limits on other fees for payment devices; caps apply to all transaction types and businesses unless the BCCR sets technically justified differentiated caps.Ley 9831, art. 4, 2020-03-21 official text · verified 2026-10-30

2. Domestic interchange is capped at 1.00% and domestic acquiring at 1.95% for all transactions, devices and businesses, except fuel stations, EV charging, tolls, ARESEP regulated transport and charities at 1.50%; cross border interchange is capped at 1.00% and cross border acquiring at 2.50% (1.50% interchange for the same exempted activities).
Example: Card sale of ₡100,000: merchant fee at most ₡1,950 (₡1,500 at a fuel station). / Sale of US$219.87: fee at most US$4.29.BCCR Reglamento del Sistema de Tarjetas de Pago, edition 6, art. 44 to 47, 2025-12-18 official text · verified 2026-10-30

3. A provider that exceeds the caps is fined the amount overcharged and never less than 200 salarios base, and must refund merchants within 10 business days; the BCCR reviews caps at least once a year, with new caps normally effective 1 January.
Example: Minimum fine in 2026: 200 × ₡462,200 = ₡92,440,000. / About US$203,245.24.Ley 9831, art. 10 and 14, 2020-03-21 official text · verified 2026-10-30

4. Companies doing systematic currency exchange and transfers, traveller's cheques or money orders, substantial fund transfers, non bank trust or resource administration, international remittances, and card issuing or operating must register with SUGEF as single purpose companies and comply with AML duties; registration is not authorisation to operate, and card issuers may not take funds from the public.Ley 7786, art. 15, as reformed by Ley 9449, 2017-05-10 official text · verified 2026-10-30

5. Virtual asset service providers (exchange between virtual assets and fiat or among virtual assets, transfers, custody and services related to issuance or sale) must register with SUGEF, assess AML risk, apply due diligence above CONASSIF thresholds and the travel rule, and freeze designated persons' assets; registration is not an operating licence, and activities within another superintendency's remit fall under it.Ley 10961 (Ley 7786 art. 15 quater), art. 1, 2026-06-09 official text · verified 2026-10-30 · changed: Added by Ley 10961 of 9 Jun 2026 (La Gaceta 113 of 19 Jun 2026), in force 19 Sep 2026.

6. Taking funds from the public, by any physical, digital or other means, remains reserved to authorised intermediaries.Ley 7558, art. 116, 2026-09-02 official text · verified 2026-10-30

Worked example

A merchant takes ₡20,000,000 (US$43,973.44) a month in domestic card sales. Its acquirer may charge at most 1.95%, ₡390,000 (US$857.48); a fuel station would pay at most ₡300,000. A foreign crypto exchange serving Costa Rican users must register with SUGEF under art. 15 quater and run AML controls, but that registration does not license it to take deposits.

Step by step

Check acquirer statements against the 1.95% cap (fees for terminal damage, installment billing or value added services are outside it).
For payments, remittance or crypto businesses: set up a single purpose Costa Rican company and register with SUGEF.
Build KYC, transaction monitoring and travel rule processes before launch.
Avoid any product that holds customer funds like a deposit unless licensed.

Common traps

SUGEF registration is not a licence and must not be advertised as one.
The 1.95% cap is all in for the payment service; renaming fees does not avoid it.
Crypto activity that is a securities offer or deposit taking falls under SUGEVAL or SUGEF rules as well.

Sources

← Financial consumer protection and credit information in Costa Rica: fraud refunds, disclosure and the SUGEF credit bureauBuying and owning property in Costa Rica: equal rights for foreigners, notary deeds and the Registro Nacional →

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