How do instant SEPA transfers work?

This article details how SEPA Instant Transfers function within Rauva, lists the participating countries, and explains what occurs if instant transfers are not available.

How SEPA Instant Transfers Work

SEPA Instant Transfers allow you to send and receive money in euros between accounts within the SEPA area almost instantly — usually in just a few seconds.
They’re ideal for urgent payments or quick balance movements across European accounts.

What is a SEPA Instant Transfer?

A SEPA Instant Transfer is a payment type within the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), processed in real time and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week — including weekends and public holidays.

Unlike regular SEPA transfers (which usually take 1–2 business days, or in rare cases up to 5 business days), SEPA Instant payments are processed immediately if both banks — the sender’s and the recipient’s — support the SEPA Instant scheme.

How the processing works

When you confirm a SEPA Instant Transfer:

Rauva sends the payment request to the SEPA network in real time.
The recipient’s bank is notified and has up to 10 seconds to accept the transaction.
Once confirmed, the amount is instantly credited to the recipient’s account.

If the recipient’s bank does not support SEPA Instant or fails to respond in time, the transfer is automatically converted into a regular SEPA transfer, which completes within the standard timeframe (1–2 business days).

When a transfer might not be instant

Even if you select “Instant Transfer,” the payment may not be processed instantly if:

the recipient’s bank is not part of the SEPA Instant network,
the amount exceeds the limit allowed by the bank (some limit to €100,000 per operation),
the transaction is under compliance or security review,
there is a temporary technical issue in the payment network.

In these cases, the payment is automatically converted into a standard SEPA transfer.
Your money remains safe and will be credited once processing is complete.

Supported countries

SEPA Instant Transfers are available across all countries that are part of the SEPA network, including EU member states and other participating territories.

European Union:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

Non-EU SEPA members:
Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vatican City.

Additional territories covered by SEPA:
Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Mayotte, Réunion, Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Saint Martin, Saint Barthélemy, Canary Islands.

Fees

SEPA and SEPA Instant Transfers via Rauva are free of charge, both for sending and receiving.

Can I cancel a SEPA Instant Transfer?

SEPA Instant Transfers are processed in real time and cannot be cancelled after being sent.
If the payment was made by mistake, only the recipient can return the amount.

Summary

Currency: Euro (EUR)
Area: SEPA countries and territories
Availability: 24/7, including weekends and public holidays
Speed: usually within seconds; up to 1–2 business days if converted to a standard SEPA transfer
Cost: free
Processing: follows European SEPA network protocols and compliance standards

Related articles:

[How SEPA Transfers Work]
[SWIFT Payments Explained]
[Why Did My Instant Transfer Fail?]