The obligation to accept electronic payments (POS)

We inform you of a relevant legislative change regarding the obligation to accept electronic payments by economic operators, applicable starting January 1, 2026.

Legal obligation

• Starting January 1, 2026, all economic operators (companies, self-employed, partnerships, individual entrepreneurs, etc.) receiving payments from customers are obliged to accept payments through modern payment means, not just cash.
• The obligation applies regardless of the area of activity or the level of revenues.

Is a traditional POS mandatory? No. The law does not impose the exclusive existence of a physical POS terminal. The obligation is considered fulfilled if electronic payments are accepted through any of the following solutions:

• traditional POS terminal;
• soft POS (phone/tablet);
• virtual POS or payment links through specialized platforms;
• other electronic payment solutions agreed upon by banks or payment service providers.

Alternative solutions (e.g., payment links) can replace the traditional POS, if they effectively allow electronic payment by the customer.

Exception: The obligation does not apply if all collections are made exclusively through bank transfer, without cash collections or on-site payments.

Sanctions:

• Failure to ensure the possibility of electronic payment or refusal to accept it may result in significant fines, according to applicable legislation.