Mexico’s central bank has taken a significant step toward modernizing payments for small businesses. Banxico, the country’s central bank, has introduced new rules aimed at making digital payments more accessible for micro, small, and medium enterprises. The new initiative creates a specialized account tier known as Cuenta Nivel 3 Bis. This account is designed specifically for the approximately 4 million small businesses that have struggled to adapt to digital payment systems due to regulatory barriers and low deposit limits.
With these new rules, cash deposit limits have been raised to 3,000 UDIS. UDIS are inflation-indexed units of account in Mexico, and this increase represents a major improvement for small merchants who often reach their deposit limits much too quickly. Moreover, electronic transfer limits have been significantly enhanced, with proposals suggesting caps of between 12,000 to 15,000 UDIS. This change is critical for small businesses looking to adopt digital payment methods without facing barriers that could hinder their operations.
The updated regulatory framework was initially previewed in May 2026 and marks the most substantial overhaul of electronic transfer standards since 2013. This change is significant as it addresses the longstanding dominance of cash in the Mexican small business sector.
Despite Mexico having established digital payment infrastructure, such as the SPEI instant interbank transfer system operational for many years, small business adoption of digital payment solutions has lagged. Many informal and semi-formal enterprises, which are essential to Mexico’s economy, have faced challenging Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements and stringent account limitations. As a result, cash transactions have remained a necessity, particularly where monthly deposit thresholds are insufficient to accommodate busy sales periods.
Banxico and the Asociación de Bancos de México (ABM) have positioned this initiative as a measure of financial inclusion. Transitioning approximately 4 million businesses from cash transactions to digital platforms not only generates transaction data but also diminishes the shadow economy while creating a financial history that may improve access to credit products for small merchants who have previously been denied such opportunities.