BVNK has secured direct access to the European Union's Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) scheme through the Bank of Lithuania's CENTROlink system, making it the first unified platform to offer both real-time SEPA euro transfers and stablecoin settlement without intermediary banks. The move cuts out the middlemen that typically slow cross-border payments and adds friction to fiat-to-crypto flows.
With direct SEPA connectivity, BVNK customers can send and receive euro payments 24/7, with the vast majority of transactions settling in under five seconds and none exceeding ten seconds. By connecting directly, BVNK removes correspondent banks from the flow, reducing operational overhead and boosting reliability. The company says the new system has completed a successful pilot phase and is fully compliant with SEPA settlement requirements, ready to scale.
No More Intermediaries, Euro Payments Go Real-Time
Traditional euro payments often involve multiple correspondent banks, clearing windows and cut-off times, causing delays of hours or even days. BVNK's direct connection via CENTROlink bypasses all that—transactions are processed around the clock, unaffected by bank holidays or system downtimes. For businesses that rely on predictable cash flows, this level of certainty is a game-changer. The service is currently rolling out to BVNK's EU and global client base, with plans to extend to the UK and the United States later.
Fiat and Stablecoins, One Interface
BVNK's platform is designed to let businesses move between fiat currencies and stablecoins without added complexity. With direct SEPA access, a customer can settle a euro payment instantly, then convert that amount into USDC or USDT and deploy it on-chain—all from the same dashboard. Co-founder Chris Harmse describes the goal as processing payments at "the speed of the internet" rather than relying on slower legacy banking rails. This unified approach is particularly relevant for fintechs, marketplaces and global enterprises managing both on-chain and off-chain flows.
Automation Targets: 96% Straight-Through Processing by 2026
BVNK expects that by the end of 2026, up to 96% of payments processed through the new SEPA connection will be fully automated, with payout success rates exceeding 95%. For context, legacy cross-border SEPA payments in 2024 averaged success rates below 90% and required significant manual intervention. The automation push comes as demand for 24/7, low-latency, programmable cross-border fund movement continues to grow, and BVNK's direct SEPA access is a clear sign that infrastructure providers are reshaping the payments stack to support always-on finance.