In 2025, this concerns the period from Friday, April 18 to Monday, April 21 inclusive. For individuals and businesses alike, the information may seem insignificant, but it is not without consequences.
A "technical pause" on a European scale
Behind this temporary suspension of transfers lies a somewhat obscure name: TARGET2. This is the interbank settlement system of the eurozone. In short, it is what allows banks to transfer money between themselves securely. But like any system, it has its closing days. And among them, Good Friday and Easter Monday feature prominently, as they are recognized public holidays in several European Union countries.
Result: from Friday, April 18 to Monday, April 21, 2025 inclusive, no classic SEPA transfer will be able to transit between two different banks. A transfer made on Thursday, April 17 after 4:30 p.m. will therefore not be visible on the recipient's account until Tuesday, April 22. A four-day outage that comes at a bad time for some!
Concrete consequences for individuals and professionals
While this outage is well-known in the banking sector, it continues to catch users off guard every year. Who hasn't been annoyed by seeing a salary "on hold" over a long weekend, or rent arriving late? For individuals, this can cause unnecessary worry, especially when accounts are empty while waiting for an expected transfer.
For businesses, the issue is even more sensitive. Many must anticipate salary payments to avoid penalizing employees. Some SMEs may find themselves stuck if they don't send their payments on time. Especially since communication about this suspension remains too discreet.
Fortunately, there are alternatives. And one of them is quickly becoming more widespread: instant transfer. This service allows money to be transferred in seconds, 24/7, even during public holidays. And the good news is that since the beginning of 2025, all banks in the eurozone have been required to offer this service free of charge. This is a small revolution that has gone relatively unnoticed, but which could well change the situation.
Also note that internal transfers, between two accounts at the same bank, are not affected by the shutdown of TARGET2. They continue to operate normally, even during the Easter weekend.
Note:
- Interruption period: from Friday, April 18 to Monday, April 21, 2025 inclusive
- Cause: closure of the TARGET2 system, which manages interbank transfers
- Impact: transfers between banks are delayed; Internal and instant transfers remain possible
- Tip: anticipate large payments before Thursday, April 17, 4:30 p.m.
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