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What is Bre-B and how does it work?
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Ask a Colombian for their bank details today and you might get four words back: “mándame a mi llave” (“send it to my Bre-B key”). No 11-digit account number read out twice over the phone, no screenshot of a bank statement, no double-checking the last two digits. Just a key.
That shift in vocabulary comes from Bre-B, Colombia’s immediate and interoperable payment system. Banco de la República presented the Bre-B name on August 1, 2024, and the system went into full operation on October 6, 2025. It puts Colombia on the same path Brazil took with Pix and India took with the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
Money now moves between banks and digital wallets in seconds, and nobody has to hand over sensitive account details.
Sending money to family in Colombia? With Ria, you can send straight to their Bre-B llave instead of an account number. See how Bre-B transfers work with Ria.
What is Bre-B?
Bre-B is Colombia’s interoperable instant payment system. It lets people make payments and transfers instantly, no matter which institution holds their account or electronic deposit.
Behind the scenes, the system has two main components:
A settlement module that moves money between institutions 24/7
A centralized directory of keys that identifies where the money should go
Why Colombia built Bre-B
Cash is still how most Colombians pay for things. More than 70% of transactions in Colombia happen in cash, so Banco de la República set out to build an easy, fast payment system that could boost financial inclusion.
Bre-B doesn’t replace banks or wallets. It gives them a shared standard so money can move freely between them.
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How Bre-B works
Instead of memorizing or sharing a full account number, you use llaves (keys): unique identifiers linked to your bank account or low-amount deposit. Each person picks the key they prefer and registers it with the institution where they keep their money.
There are four types of keys:
Your national ID number (cédula)
Your cell phone number
Your email address
A random alphanumeric code generated by your bank (for example, an “@BankName + number” code)
A few practical details:
You can register up to four keys per account, so you have different ways to receive money depending on the situation.
One account can have several keys, but the same key can’t be registered to two different accounts.
Registering a key is free and doesn’t involve any intermediary. You do it directly in your bank’s digital channels.
Your regular bank account, login, and card stay the same. Bre-B simply adds another way to receive money without handing out your account number.
How to send a payment with Bre-B
Register a key in your bank or wallet app. Pick whichever type (ID, phone, email, or alphanumeric) makes the most sense for you.
Share only your key, not your account number, with whoever is sending you money. You can also share it as a QR code so they can scan it instead of typing.
The sender enters your key (or scans your QR code) and types in the amount. That’s all it takes to complete a payment or transfer between different institutions.
The money settles instantly, at any hour, including weekends and holidays.
If a transfer doesn’t show up, wait 24 hours. If it doesn’t complete, the money is automatically returned to the sender.
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Bre-B fees, speed, and transfer limits
Cost: sending and receiving money through Bre-B is free, whichever bank or digital wallet is involved.
Speed: money arrives in real time, around 20 seconds from the moment a transfer starts to when it’s completed.
Availability: 24/7, including weekends and public holidays.
Transfer limit: Banco de la República set a ceiling of COP 12,110,000 per transfer for 2026 (about US$3,720). That equals 1,000 UVB (Unidad de Valor Básico, a basic value unit the central bank uses to index these limits), so the peso figure changes every year.
Bank-level limits: individual institutions can set lower caps within that ceiling. Banco de Bogotá, for example, lets customers set their own lower limit in the app.
QR codes: businesses have used Bre-B QR codes since launch. Individual users can now create their own QR codes too, with more banks adding the option during 2026.
These figures are set by regulation and can change, so check current limits with your bank before relying on a number here.
Is Bre-B safe?
Bre-B is supervised by both the Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia (Colombia’s Financial Superintendence) and Banco de la República. The two authorities work together to keep transfers secure, transparent, and compliant with current regulations.
The central bank has also been open about the main risk: scammers taking advantage of a new system. Banco de la República has published recommendations to help people avoid fraud. One common trick is an SMS with a link to a fake page.
The rule of thumb is simple: don’t register a key or enter your banking details through a link sent by text message. Do it only inside your bank’s official app.
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What Bre-B means if you’re sending money to Colombia
If you live abroad, this is the part that matters most. Bre-B is Colombia’s domestic payment rail, but money transfer providers can connect to it, so an international transfer can now go straight to a llave instead of a full account number.
That’s where Ria comes in:
Choose Colombia and pick Bre-B as the delivery method.
Enter your recipient’s llave (phone number, ID, or email) instead of a Colombian bank account number.
The money arrives in minutes in the bank account or digital wallet they already use, such as Nequi or Daviplata.
From there, your family can move it to another bank or pay for something instantly, with no extra charge for that domestic transfer.
For more details, visit our Bre-B page or read our guide on how to send money to Colombia.
Colombia’s shift to instant, interoperable payments means fewer trips to the bank and fewer typos in long account numbers. Money moves when people need it to, any day of the week.
Ready to send? Start your transfer to Colombia with Ria and send straight to your family’s Bre-B llave.
FAQs
Is Bre-B free to use?
Yes. Sending and receiving money through Bre-B is immediate and free, regardless of the bank or digital wallet involved.
Do I need to download a new app to use Bre-B?
No. Your regular bank account keeps working exactly as before, and your username stays the same. Bre-B just adds another way to receive money without sharing your account number. You register your llave inside the banking app you already use.
What exactly is a llave?
It’s the identifier you register with your bank, linked to your account or electronic deposit. It’s the piece of information you share with whoever is sending you money. It can be your ID number, cell phone number, email, or a random alphanumeric code your bank generates for you.
Can I have more than one llave?
Yes. You can register up to four keys per account, so you have different ways to receive money depending on the situation. A single account can have several keys, but the same key can’t be registered to two different accounts.
What happens if my transfer doesn't arrive?
Wait 24 hours. If the transfer doesn’t complete in that window, the money is automatically returned to the sender. If it still hasn’t shown up after that, contact your bank’s support line directly.
Can someone send me money from another country directly through Bre-B?
Yes. Bre-B connects Colombian financial institutions to each other, and money transfer providers like Ria connect to it too. A sender abroad can choose Bre-B and enter your llave, and the funds land in your Colombian bank account or digital wallet in minutes. From there, you can move them again instantly.
Is Bre-B safe from fraud?
The system is backed by regulators, but scammers try to exploit any new payment method. Banco de la República has warned about fraud attempts, including SMS messages with links to fake pages. Don’t register a llave or enter banking details through a text-message link. Do it only inside your bank’s official app.
About the author
Ignacia Córdova
Ignacia Córdova is Ria's Content Specialist, based in Santiago, Chile. She loves turning everyday moments into stories worth sharing, one post at a time.
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