Superbank tariffs with international transfers, why PayPal was not allowed to come to Kosovo

International entry and exit transfers to Kosovo through Kosovo banks continue to have staggering prices, even the lowest amounts for transactions, such as 100 euros and 200 euros.

According to a research conducted earlier by the Economic Bulletin, tariffs for international transfers across banks in Kosovo range from 5 euros to 800 euros, depending on the amount of transfer.

“PayPal”, the world's leading payment and international transfer company, had in the past tried to lie down in Kosovo, but that was impossible for the banks operating in the country.

During 2020, this company had claimed to have applied to the Central Bank of Kosovo for extension of their network for payment and transfers, but not given green light for operation.

It's not entirely up to us to provide services. The main banks in Kosovo have not given us the green light to extend our services for a long time. However, recently, our teams are working to soon present our services there”, said the response to “PayPal”, given to medium “Koha Koha” in 2020.

However, the Economic Bulletin from safe sources in the CEC found that the ban on PayPal was strongly lobeed by banks and specific segments in the CEC.

The main interest in this was the fact that PayPal offers fairly cheap international payment services, and thus commercial banks will lose “the total profits generated by these tariffs.

Kosovo's “Banks have the second source of revenues from the tariffs applying for international transfers. That's why you convert PayPal access to”, this source said.

These fees are estimated to be the most expensive in the region.

The Economic Bulletin has previously investigated the prices of six largest banks in the country on the tariffs they use for attracting or sending money during international transfers. They range from 5 euros to 800 euros depending on the amount of tools in question.

Even the Raiffeisen bank, in addition to the withdrawal fee for ATMs, has cost the international transfer fee from 6 euros last year to a total of 15 euros.

Meanwhile, for the emerging international transfers to the branch, the same bank applies the fee, starting with 20 euros of minimum and the maximum of 500 euros, getting 0.30% of the sum, while for the exit international transfers to e-banking, the 0.1.5% of the amount at a minimum fee of 10 euros and the maximum of 500 euros.

Even the other bank operating in Kosovo NLB, international transfers have prices of proximity. So for the resulting transfers they estimate 0.20% of the amount at a minimum of 15 euros (same against value) and a maximum fee of 1,000 euros (same against value), while the exit transfers with e-banking for 0.15% of the amount they receive, the minimum is 15 euros and the maximum is also 1,000 euros.

The exit transfers by the OUR option to this bank vary this way: for the amounts of up to 5,000 euros the fee is plus 5m, which is above 5 euros, 5,000 to 12,500 euros has a fee of over 12.501 euros to 25,000 euros, of more than 12 euros, of the amount of 25,001 to 50,000 euros -- is over 20 euros, and for the amount above 50 thousand euros there is a fee of over 50 euros.

To pay physical persons for The NLB Group for payment duties of up to 3,000 euros in the billing is 6 euros, for payouts of between 3,000 and 100,000 euros in revenue includes 0.2% of the sum, and for payment duties on over 100,000 euros in production is 200 euros.

This bank has several other options for legal persons like: Legal person fees for NLB Group in sports is calculated by 0.1% of the amount, which means they have to pay minimum 10 euros and the maximum 200 euros depending on the amount, for legal persons' fees for NLB Group via e-banking, for exit transfers the fee is 5 euros, regardless of the amount of options to the BEN and SHARA, whereas for legal persons' fees NLB Group with e-banking, the exit fee is 10 euros, despite the amount of OUR option.

Meanwhile, for the above-mentioned transfers of EUN and SHAR options, these are the rates: for the amount of up to 200 euros in tariffs is 5 euros, for the amount of 201 euros to 10,000 euros- 10 euros, while for the amount of over 10,000 euros is estimated 0.1% of the sum, and the maximum for withdrawal is 1,000 euros.

The payments of the NLB Group for legal persons for 0.1% of the amount have a maximum of 750 euros for withdrawal, while payments from the NLB Entering Group have a 5 euro fee. And advertising initiated by customers totals a total of 10 euros plus foreign bank spending.

The other bank, ProCredit, the bank for these services appears to be the cheapest “” in the country. It for the international inflows for the sums below 50 euros has a fee of only 1 euro, for the amount of 50 euros to 300 euros in tariffs is 8 euros, while for the amount of more than 300 euros it calculates at a percentage of what is 0.25% of the sum, the minimum fee has 15 euros and the maximum amount of 750 euros.

For emerging international transfers within this bank through e-banking and branch, the price of 15 euros or 25 is implemented The USD (American dollars), while for exit transfers Pro Pay with e-banking tariffs, 2.50 E UR/ USSD, while at a score of 0.15%, has a minimum fee of 15 EURO/UDS.

For advertising or modification of the international exit transfers that are younger than 1 month's tariff is 10 euros + third party spending, while for those older than 1 month it is 30 euros+ the expenses of third parties. Statement or return of exit international transfers has a 20.00 fee E UR/ USD in this bank.

At the National Trade Bank (BKT) for international entry transfers is calculated by 0.15% of the sum, where the minimum fee is 15 euros and the maximum of 600 euros. Only entry transfers from BKT Albania are free according to the bank's price, while the same exit from Kosovo to Albania to the same bank there, so BKT, is 5 to 15 euros.

The international exit (standard/priorial) branches at BKT are calculated by 0.20%-0.30% of the sum, and the tariffs are minimum 15 euros and the maximum of 600 to 800 euros, while the international exit (standard/priorial) through e-Banking, is estimated only 0.20% of the sum, and the minimum fee is 15 euros and the maximum of 600 euros.

In addition, the Kosovo Economic Bank has a 5 euro fee for international entry transfers for as much as 100 euros, for those over 100 euros is estimated at 0.20% of the sum, with minimum rate of 8 euros as it had been in 2021, is now 15 euros, while the maximum fee is up to 500 euros, depending on the amount sent. But for international wages and entry pensions in this bank, 0.10% of the sum and the minimum fee is 5 euros, while the maximum is up to 500 euros.

For the emerging international transfers within this bank to 6 thousand euros, the rate is 0.1% of the amount or minimum 15 euros, and the maximum 500 euros, transfers of 6,001 to 10,000 euros is 0.25% of the sum- 15 euros and the maximum of 500 euros, for the amount of 10,000 to 20,000 euros is estimated at 0.20% or minimum 15 euros, and 500 euros, and for 20,000 euros, the maximum of 0.1.5% of the euro is equal to 15 euro and 500 euro.

Marketing initiated by customers for return or modification of tools to this bank costs 10 euros, as well as for inflows.

The last bank is the TEB bank in Kosovo, which for the international euro currency exit transfers gets 0.1% of the sum for transactions, where the minimum is 15 euros almost the same as in other preliminary banks, while the maximum in this bank is up to 1,000 euros. This bank for international exit transfers in other currency like U DS, CHF, and GBP receive 0.30% of the amount, which the maximum of the fee also amounts to up to 1,000 euros.

The TEB for all international entry transfers to Kosovo receives from each currency 0.30% of the amount sent, where the minimum is equal to the exits, starting from 15 euros to the maximum amount of up to 1,000 euros.

During the past month, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti had met with the leaders of PayPal, in Davos, Switzerland, calling on this case for PayPal to include Kosovo on the platform.

“Making up common interests, projects and plans towards making Kosovo as the future information technology centre in Southeast Europe, the prime minister invited PayPal leaders to become part of this report, said the prime minister's office had made after this meeting.

Otherwise, PayPal is among the world's largest payment and international transfer companies on the internet. Kosovo citizens cannot exploit this platform, since Kosovo is not on the list of states where PayPal operates. Kosovo citizens during 2020 had also prepared a petition with hundreds of signatures, where they earnestly sought the extension of this network in our country.