Onboarding support moves into local communities
The Central Bank of Barbados announced on 31 October that it will take an onboarding team into communities from 4 November to help village shops, minimarts and other small businesses register for BiMPay. The national instant-payment system lets participating users send and receive payments around the clock. The initiative focuses on practical activation rather than a new payment-rail launch, with staff expected to answer questions and assist business owners directly.
Cash prizes support the adoption campaign
Eligible businesses that complete the requirements can enter draws for five interim prizes of BDS$500 and a BDS$6,000 grand prize. Existing BiMPay merchants may also qualify, subject to the published conditions. The Bank says participating businesses need an active online-banking relationship with a supported commercial bank or credit union. Its stated merchant benefits include faster receipt of funds, less cash handling and another payment choice for customers. The announcement does not report merchant adoption, transaction volume or acceptance costs, so the roadshow’s commercial effect remains to be measured.
What it means for merchants
Barbadian small merchants considering BiMPay should confirm bank eligibility, settlement and refund processes, transaction limits, customer-support routes and any account fees before activation. The roadshow can simplify setup, but businesses should still reconcile instant-payment receipts independently and maintain a backup acceptance method during early use.
Read the original announcement
Central Bank of Barbados · 31 Oct 2026This brief summarizes the linked primary source. Claims and reported figures have not been independently audited by Payment Guide.