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Instant payments – also known as SEPA Instant Credit Transfers

Instant payments allow you to make euro-denominated credit transfers practically in real time. Some of the benefits of instant payments include:

  • Payments are transferred to the recipient within 10 seconds.
  • You can transfer money every day of the year – including weekends and bank holidays.
  • There will be no charges for making instant payments through Nordea Mobile or Netbank.

Instant payments are also known as SEPA Instant Credit Transfers since they allow you to send money instantly to another euro country within the SEPA. As an example, you can use instant payments to transfer money to another Finnish account or to another euro country in the EU (such as Germany).

The SEPA area (Single Euro Payments Area) includes all European Union member states as well as Andorra, Great Britain, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Switzerland, Vatican, San Marino and Gibraltar.

Note

Instant payments will gradually become available in all SEPA countries

  • As of September 2025, you will be able to make instant payments to all euro countries within the SEPA from your Nordea account.
  • In 2027, instant payments will also become available for non-euro SEPA countries, such as Sweden, Norway and Denmark. If the recipient bank is in a non-euro country but has already adopted instant payments, you can make instant payments to the bank.

How to make instant payments in Nordea Netbank

  1. Create a new payment. Select “Payments” from the menu bar and then “New payment”.
  2. Enter the payment details.
  3. Select “Instant” from the Payment type drop-down menu.
  4. Confirm the payment.

Note: 

  • For the time being, payments that are charged to your account immediately are the only payments that can be processed as instant payments. Payments with a future due date and recurring payments will be processed as standard credit transfers for now.

How to make instant payments in Nordea Mobile

  1. Create a new payment. Select “Payments and e-invoices” from the menu bar and then “Pay”.
  2. Enter the payment details.
  3. Press "Instant payment" switch.
  4. Select "Continue" and confirm the payment.

Note: 

  • For the time being, payments that are charged to your account immediately are the only payments that can be processed as instant payments. Payments with a future due date and recurring payments will be processed as standard credit transfers for now.

What is the difference between an instant payment and a credit transfer?

In Nordea Mobile and Netbank, you can choose whether you want to make a standard credit transfer or an instant payment. Both of these payment methods are free of charge in our digital channels. These are the main differences between the two:

  • Speed: You can make instant payments to a recipient within 10 seconds 24/7 every day of the year. With a standard credit transfer, the money is sent to the recipient bank either on the same day or on the next banking day depending on when you make the payment. If you make a standard credit transfer between two Nordea accounts, it will be processed on the same day regardless of the day of the week.
  • Countries: Initially, you will be able to make instant payments to the countries within the Single Payments Area (SEPA) that use euro as their currency, while standard credit transfers can be made to any country within the SEPA. 
  • Payment types: If you are making a payment in Nordea Mobile and Netbank that you want to be charged from your account immediately, you can choose either an instant payment or a standard credit transfer. Payments with a future due date and recurring payments will still be processed as standard credit transfers for now.

Read more about credit transfers

New EU Instant Payments Regulation

The EU Instant Payments Regulation (IPR) will take effect on 9 October 2025 and require all banks to offer the service of sending and receiving instant euro-denominated credit transfers.

The new regulation aims at harmonising the provision of payments across the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and at enhancing payment transmission in the EU.

Read more on Finance Finland’s website (in Finnish)

Receiving instant payments

As a personal customer of Nordea, you are able to receive SEPA Instant Credit Transfers from European banks. Receiving instant payments is free and doesn’t require you to do anything as long as you have a euro account with Nordea.

When you receive an instant payment, the money will be instantly available to you in your Nordea account – even on weekends and bank holidays. With instant payments, you will always receive the full amount in your account. 

The service is widely available in Europe, and the number of participating banks is growing at a fast pace.

See which banks offer the service. 

Prices
Terms and conditions

Prices

Credit transfer and bill payment as self-service
SpecificationPrice
Outgoing euro-denominated credit transfer to a euro account within the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA)0,00 €
Incoming euro-denominated credit transfer from the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) to a euro account0,00 €
Receipt ordered with access codes through self service6,00 €

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