Bank of the Republic of Burundi Launches Upgraded Automated Transfer System Based on CMA RTGS Gen-10
March 3, 2026
Stockholm, Sweden / Bujumbura, Burundi — February 2026
The Bank of the Republic of Burundi (BRB) has successfully launched the upgraded Automated Transfer System (ATS) based on CMA’s RTGS Gen-10 platform with ACH functionality. The first operational day of the system took place on February 6, 2026.
The original ATS platform was implemented by CMA in 2017 and has served as the backbone of Burundi’s interbank payment infrastructure ever since. The upgrade represents an important step in the continued modernization of the country’s national payment ecosystem. A key component of the project was the migration of the system to the ISO 20022 messaging standard, aligned with recent international frameworks including IAP, HVPS+ and CBPR+. All participants in the system have successfully migrated to ISO 20022.
The upgrade introduced a number of technological and functional enhancements, including:
• Upgrade of the ATS platform to CMA RTGS Gen-10
• Migration of interbank payment messaging to ISO 20022
• Transition to API-based communication between system components
• Enhancement of check truncation services and integration with the participant portal
• Integration of modules for AML monitoring, anti-fraud controls, dispute management, end-to-end transaction tracking and reporting
The platform is integrated with the Central Bank General Ledger, the national securities depository system provided by CMA, and the CMA Instant Payment System, which is planned to be launched later in 2026. The adoption of structured ISO 20022 data and API connectivity provides a strong foundation for the further development of Burundi’s financial infrastructure, including improved analytics, enhanced supervisory capabilities, and deeper interoperability between payment and financial market infrastructures.
Faysal Bibani, CMA Regional Director for Africa, commented:
The successful migration of Burundi’s Automated Transfer System to ISO 20022 marks an important milestone for the country’s financial infrastructure. We are honored to support the Bank of the Republic of Burundi in this modernization effort and to continue our long-standing cooperation since the original system implementation in 2017.
