The BCRA calls financial and foreign exchange institutions to give a holiday leave to their employees on December 24 and 31, 2020. As under Communication P 50983, financial institutions can be closed to the public on those days. Electronic channels such as online banking, mobile banking, and ATMs will operate as they usually do on public holidays.
Consumers can make, through these channels, several transactions, such as Payments by Transfer—whose scope has been recently updated by the BCRA—thus streamlining digital payments. In addition, they can pay by reading any QR code with an electronic wallet or bank app on their phones. Debit and credit cards are other options that can be used to make digital payments. The BCRA has further adopted all necessary measures to ensure that financial institutions have banknotes available for ATM refilling in order to meet the demand for money during those days.
The Argentine financial system comprises more than 18,000 ATMs and over 17,500 non-bank withdrawal points across the country.
The BCRA reminds consumers that all ATMs can be used unrestrictedly and that financial institutions cannot charge any fees for transactions carried out at ATMs (withdrawals, deposits, balance checking), regardless of the institution and the ATM company involved, or whether the individual is a client or not.
