[Trending News] Bank cards that will no longer work in Romania. It disables everything on March 1, 9:30 pm

The merger of OTP Bank Romania and Banca Transilvania. What do customers need to know

OTP Bank Romania and Banca Transilvania have officially announced their merger, a process that will bring significant changes to customers. The two financial institutions work together to ensure a smooth transition, so that users do not have major difficulties in accessing banking services.

The merger process is scheduled to take place in the period February 28 – March 2, 2025time during which essential technical adjustments will take place. OTP Bank Romania customers will have to become familiar with the new system and respect the migration calendar established by the bank.

How will the transition for OTP Bank Romania will run?

In order to facilitate the transfer to Banca Transilvania, a clear migration program was established, which customers must follow: carefully:

• February 28, 12:00 – It is the last day when OTP Bank Romania customers can perform banking operations in units or through the bank online applications. After this time, the digital services of the OTP Bank will be disabled.
• March 1, 9:30 pm – OTP Bank cards cease to work, which means that online payments, withdrawals and transactions will no longer be made.
• March 2, 7:00 am – Transylvania bank cards become active and can be used instead of OTP Bank. Customers who have not yet raised the new card have to do so before this time.
• March 3 – Customers will have full access to all Transilvania Bank's services and products, including Internet banking, mobile applications and migrated bank accounts.

What should the OTP Bank Romania customers do for a smooth transition?

Banca Transilvania has issued several recommendations for customers, so that they are prepared for the changes that will take place during the migration period.

Lifting Bank Card Transilvania: Customers who have not lifted their new BT card are advised to do it as soon as possible, from the branch or Agency BT/OTP Bank where it is available.

BT card activation: Transilvania Bank's cards can be activated at any BT ATM before use. This step is essential to make payments and withdrawals starting March 2.

Cash insurance: Between March 1, 9:30 pm – March 2, 7:00 am, customers will not be able to use OTP Bank bank cards. In order to avoid difficulties during this period, it is advisable to have a sufficient cash for any urgent payments.

Access to banking services: After the merger is completed, all banking services, including Internet Banking and Mobile Banking, will be available exclusively through Transilvania Bank platforms. Customers must update their login data and become familiar with the new platform interface.

Attention to fraud attempts: Banca Transilvania warns customers to be vigilant and to verify the authenticity of the messages received during this transition period. There may be phishing attempts by e-mail or SMS, whereby cyber criminals are trying to obtain bank data. Customers are advised not to access suspicious links and contact the bank if they receive suspects that seem suspicious.