How to turn electronic money into paper money? Which e-wallet should a freelancer choose? Open a card for electronic money in Belarus

10:00 20.11.2013

Following the global trend of leaving the real environment for the virtual environment, money has become electronic. What they eat with ED in Belarus, I found out

Electronic money is a new concept for the financial market, which is currently in its infancy. As a rule, “virtual currency” is usually understood as the monetary obligations of the issuer in electronic form located on electronic media at the user's disposal.

In Belarus from electronic money They denied it for a long time. Their legalization occurred only at the beginning of 2013, when the new edition of the Banking Code came into force.

In accordance with the letter of the law, electronic money is characterized as electronically stored units of value, issued into circulation in exchange for cash or non-cash funds and accepted as a means of payment when making settlements with both the person who issued these units of value and with other legal entities and individuals, as well as expressing the amount of this person’s obligation to return cash to any legal entity or individual upon presentation of these units of value.
The issuance of electronic money is carried out by the bank on the basis of a license to carry out banking activities.
The procedure for issuing electronic money is established by the National Bank.
Today there are about ten operating in Belarus on absolutely legal grounds. various types electronic money.

WebMoney - time-tested electronic money

In November 2013, the largest and most widespread electronic payment system WebMoney Transfer celebrates its 15th anniversary.
You can pay via WebMoney for everything your heart desires (or almost everything!). The services of telecom operators, providers, and online retail stores are just the tip of the iceberg.

The first step in working with WebMoney will be creating an electronic wallet. Subsequently, you can top it up in several ways, however, with any of them you will pay a commission of 3% of the amount:

In cash at Belgazprombank branches;
- through payment cards issued by the bank;
- through the ERIP system at any banking service points (commission 2% of the amount).

You can cash out electronic money of this system at the offices of Belgazprombank. The commission will be 2% of the amount.

iPay - pay via mobile account

The issuer of the iPay electronic money system is Paritetbank.

Through iPay, a client can pay for goods and services on the Internet, purchase theater and concert tickets, repay loans, pay for utilities using the positive balance of a personal account on a mobile phone.

Working with iPay is easier than with most other Belarusian electronic money systems, if only because it does not require the creation of an electronic wallet, additional registration and separate account replenishment. Payment for services is made either by sending SMS or via Personal account on the payment system website.

When making payments in the iPay system, the following commissions apply:

4% - when making payments under loan agreements of Paritetbank;
. 4% (minimum 800 rubles) - when making payments made according to arbitrary bank details;
. 3% - when paying for services through the ERIP system;
. from 0% to 3% (depending on the paid service) - when paying for other services available in the iPay system

If you love skating, love Berlio

Using the Berlio electronic money system, you can make payments for automobile fuel in Belarus and abroad. The “provider” of the system is Belgazprombank.

You can become the owner of a Berlio electronic money card by visiting the Belgazprombank office at the address: st. Dombrovskaya, 9.
To activate the card, you will have to visit one of the Berlio company offices in Minsk on the street. Bykhovskaya, 55.

The purchase of electronic money is carried out by depositing cash at the RCC of the head office of Belgazprombank (commission - 0%), or by transfer to the account specified in the service agreement (commission - according to the tariffs of the sending bank).

MTS is not only an operator!

MTS Money is another “virtual currency” system created by Belgazprombank. MTS Money provides the opportunity for its subscribers to make payments using a personal account mobile phone(being within the MTS coverage area). There is no need to open a bank account.

Prepaid cards

If we talk about the definition that the National Bank puts into the concept of electronic money, then we need to mention the prepaid electronic money cards that are issued by Belarusbank, Belinvestbank and Priorbank.

These card products can be used as a regular payment card, but, nevertheless, they are usually classified as electronic money.

Despite the fact that the average Belarusian will not soon receive a salary in electronic money, the further evolution of electronic money systems in Belarus is important and inevitable.

Virtual wallets allow you to quickly and safely pay for various services and transfer money. In Belarus it is allowed to have Qiwi wallets, but there are some restrictions on their use.

Login to the office

Residents of Belarus can log in to their Qiwi account from the official website qiwi.com. After clicking on “Login”, a window will pop up in which you need to enter your phone number and password and click on the appropriate button. Go to personal page wallet will happen automatically.

How to open a wallet in Belarus from a computer

To register with Qiwi you will need to complete the following steps:

1. Go to the website https://qiwi.com.
2. Click on “Create wallet”.
3. In the number entry window, change the code “+7” to “+37” and enter the mobile numbers.
4. Click on “Continue”.
5. Enter an alphanumeric combination from the picture.
6. Read and accept the terms and conditions of work at Qiwi.
7. Registering a wallet requires entering a password for further work and selecting its validity period.
8. Enter the invalidating code received on your phone and click on “Confirm”.

After completing all the steps, the Qiwi wallet will be registered.

Registration from a mobile phone

You can create a Qiwi wallet in Belarus through the application by downloading the Qiwi application to your gadget. It is available in Apple Store, Google Play. After downloading and installing, you can create your own Qiwi.

The sequence of actions is the same as when registering via a computer. The main requirement is to have a mobile phone number. It is also possible to register Belarusian license plates.

How to top up a Qiwi wallet in Belarus?

Main replenishment methods:

1. Through terminals that accept the corresponding deposits (required “QIWI” icon).
2. Via WebMoney. But it is necessary to make a credit to its balance. The operation can also be carried out through a bank in Belarus. Then link wallets and carry out transactions freely.
3. Using JV Western Union, Contact.
4. Using virtual exchangers.
5. You can also buy Bitcoin and exchange it for what you need or leave it until the rate rises.

It will not be possible to top up your wallet through a Belarusian bank or card product. An exception will be plastic issued by a banking organization in Russia or Poland.

Withdrawal methods

Main methods for withdrawing finances from Qiwi in Belarus:

1. Withdrawals can be made through SP.
2. Transfer funds to other system users. Distributed among citizens who have friends and accounts in the Russian Federation. The Russian owner of Qiwi transfers the received funds to the card.
3. They can be withdrawn from your Qiwi wallet account using exchangers.

What can you pay in Belarus with Qiwi

People who have registered Qiwi can use it in Belarus to pay for goods and services. Basic operations available with the wallet:

1. Payment for telephone and internet.
2. Payment of utilities.
3. Loan repayments.
4. Payment for purchases.
5. Money transfers within the CIS.

Differences from the Russian wallet

It is not prohibited to create your own Qiwi in Belarus. But in Russia there are more options for depositing and withdrawing money. In Belarus, you won’t be able to do this by linking a local bank plastic card or using a mobile phone account. The operating conditions for payment systems in Belarus change quite often.

Qiwi terminals

There are about 1 thousand Qiwi ATM terminals in Belarus. You can find out their location on the official page.

The equipment is equipped with a clear interface and accessible software. The instructions help you quickly make payment. To replenish your wallet, you will need to select the appropriate button in the menu section. Next, enter the phone number to which it is linked and the amount.

It is not difficult for Belarusians to register Kiwi. To do this, you need a computer or gadget with Internet access. Despite the existing limitations on its functional use, there are different ways overcoming problems.

The emergence of a new player on the market poses new questions for fans of online payments. Still, there are now as many as four electronic money operators in Belarus, and each has its own characteristics. Therefore, let’s take a closer look at which system is most profitable for Belarusians to create a virtual wallet.

Pros. Perhaps the most important advantage of the system is the ease of registration. Just an address is enough email to open an account. Personal data is used solely to return access to a wallet for which access details have been lost.

Another advantage is a very profitable account replenishment. In Belposhta branches, replenishing your wallet is interest-free, that is, for nothing. There is no such profitable deposit of money in any other Belarusian payment system. In addition, you can top up EasyPay using a plastic card: free for Belgazprombank cardholders and with a 2% commission for other banks, which is also quite profitable. There are other ways to deposit money: terminals, SMS, etc.

This currency is also convenient in terms of popularity. If an online store accepts electronic money and has many buyers from Belarus, you can be sure that among possible ways EasyPay will also be available for payment. You can also pay for most Belarusian services using the system’s wallet - telephone connection, provider services and many others.

Cons. The main disadvantage of the system is the very low security of the service compared to others. Authentication is carried out only by login and password, and a four-digit control code is used to confirm payment. All. There is no option to use SMS identification or link a wallet to an IP or hardware.

In addition, EasyPay is not suitable for making purchases on foreign websites. In online stores, where Belarusians are infrequent guests, you most likely will not be able to pay using the currency of this system.

Another disadvantage of the operator is a fairly high commission for withdrawing money. At best, you will be charged 2% of the withdrawn amount. Other systems offer better rates.

Conclusion. EasyPay is perfect if you need an electronic wallet to pay rent, Internet, telephony and other services, as well as make small purchases in online stores in Belarus. However, it is not worth using this system for the turnover of large amounts of money due to the insufficient security of the service. Easypay is also not suitable for you if you plan to make purchases abroad.

Pros. If you have already used Yandex services before, then to receive a wallet you will not have to register anything at all - it is already there. For new users you will have to create new mail on Yandex. Without it, you cannot access the payment service.

The new wallet can be replenished very easily - you just need to have a Visa or MasterCard. A special feature of the system is a fixed commission of 49 Russian rubles, regardless of the amount deposited. At the same time, you can top up your account by transfer from another payment system.

The service is well protected. Users who created a wallet a long time ago and still use a permanent payment password can switch to any new way one-time confirmation of transactions (including SMS passwords). Most of the service users have already done this. In any case, Yandex.Money has two-factor authentication and in order to make a payment, you need to know not only the login password, but also the password for the payment transaction.

In addition, it is worth noting the high popularity of the service - in almost any CIS store that accepts electronic money, one of the payment options allows you to use Yandex.Money. In addition, it is possible to order real map MasterCard linked to your wallet account, which will allow you to pay with it anywhere in the world.

Cons. The most serious drawback of Yandex.Money is the very high commission for withdrawing funds. It is 3% + 15 Russian rubles of the payment amount. You will also need to pay tax at the bank for an international transfer. And since you can only withdraw money in dollars or euros, there will also be losses due to exchange rate differences.

The withdrawal method is also inconvenient. There is only one - to a bank account. There are no other options.

Conclusion. There are two benefits to using Yandex.Money. Firstly, the payment system is convenient for making large online purchases in most CIS stores due to a fixed commission. Secondly, the service will appeal to you if your work is paid in electronic currency - if you have a Yandex.Money card, there will be no problems with withdrawing and using the accumulated funds.

Pros. PayPal is not just a payment system in the usual sense. It would be more correct to call the service a payment service for goods. That is why, when registering, one of the mandatory requirements is to indicate the delivery address. The operator also provides the opportunity to file a claim with the seller if the delivered product differs from what was ordered or was not delivered at all. And most importantly, usually all controversial situations are resolved in favor of the victim.

Other conveniences of the system include interest-free account replenishment and completion of all purchase transactions. A commission is charged only if you receive money for an item sold or accept or send a money transfer.

Don't forget that PayPal is one of the oldest electronic money operators and enjoys great trust in most countries of the world.

Cons. The system has plenty of shortcomings. It all starts with registration. Perhaps it is one of the most difficult among all other e-currency sellers. It is necessary to indicate not only your login and password, but also your real passport data, as well as your registration address. Also, to successfully complete registration, you must have a bank card that will be linked to your account.

In addition, for now in Belarus legal entities are prohibited from having PayPal account. Difficulties also arise with withdrawing money for sales - you cannot receive them on a linked card, you need to look for workarounds. We should not forget that the payment system is new to Belarus, and therefore very few online stores so far provide the opportunity to pay using such electronic money.

Conclusion. PayPal is great if you plan to frequently make purchases from large foreign online stores.

WebMoney

Pros. Perhaps the most strong point WebMoney is security. The system offers many options for ensuring wallet security - linking an identifier to an IP address and equipment, authentication using both a key file and SMS, confirmation of each payment with a one-time code. The biggest advantage of the service is the presence of a client. Which, by the way, also reminds us of account security problems.

WebMoney is one of the most popular systems in the CIS, so payment with WM currency is supported by most online stores. At the same time, unlike most other electronic money operators, WebMoney provides the opportunity to have multiple wallets in different currencies within one account, as well as freely convert one amount into another.

In addition, WebMoney has an internal user rating system (BL), which shows the frequency of successful transactions and can serve as a certain guarantee of trust in the service or product provider.

Cons. The first thing that catches your eye is the complex system of certificates confirming your identity. And this despite the fact that by and large there is no significant difference between them. Certification of the high level(initial, personal, seller) – paid. In Belarus, only one bank is responsible for issuing supporting documents - Technobank; it is also engaged in servicing WebMoney in our country.

If for some reason you do not want to become a client of this bank, then you will have difficulties withdrawing money, because... the commission for this is very high - from 3% to 8%, depending on the certificate. There is also a problem with crediting funds - the percentage here is also high and amounts to 3%. For residents of Technobank, everything is somewhat simpler and the commission for the bank’s purchase of electronic money is only 1.99%, but the sales percentage still remains high.

The work of arbitration also raises criticism. Claims take a long time to be considered, and the outcome of the case is not always on the side of the injured party. Money lost as a result of fraud is rarely returned.

Conclusion

WebMoney is a universal payment system that can be used almost anywhere in the CIS. The most acceptable scheme for working with an operator is the ability to receive electronic money to your wallet, which you can then spend/withdraw. It is not profitable to replenish wallets yourself. In addition, WebMoney can be recommended to beginners who have never worked with virtual currency.

Alexander Vashkevich

The National Bank clarified and specified how to open electronic wallets and how to make payments using them. The innovations were prescribed in the resolution of December 30 No. 662 “On amendments and additions to the rules for carrying out transactions with electronic money.”

One of the main changes is that you can now register an e-wallet remotely. Now you no longer have to go to the bank or to the agent who distributes electronic money under an agreement with the bank. But provided that the client has previously confirmed his personal data in person. They will also be able to view information about it in the interbank identification system. Those Belarusians who acquired an electronic digital signature were also allowed to open a wallet without a personal visit.

Let us remind you that before the changes it was necessary to present an identification document in order to complete the registration of an electronic wallet. To do this, you had to come to the bank or agent in person.

In addition, electronic money will now be able to be collected to pay taxes, fees, penalties and other payments to the budget.

A deadline has been set for legal entities and individual entrepreneurs during which they must exchange electronic money for non-cash money and transfer it to their bank account - no later than the second banking day after the bank receives information about the transfer of electronic money to the wallet. Previously, this period was determined in the agreement with the bank and there was no time limit. “This will stimulate the prompt use of funds in economic circulation”, say the National Bank.

The resolution also stipulated that individuals can pay for goods, works and services either by bank transfer to the electronic wallet of legal entities or individual entrepreneurs, or by transferring electronic money from one wallet to another.

— Appears additional opportunity for individuals who purchase some goods from a legal entity. An individual does not have to open an electronic wallet to pay for this product; it is enough to transfer money by bank transfer in favor of a legal entity so that the legal entity receives money in the electronic wallet, the National Bank clarifies.

The regulator is convinced that this “will stimulate the growth of non-cash payments in the domestic market and the use of Belarusian electronic money by non-residents to pay for goods and services purchased from Belarusian business entities.”

The bank can issue electronic money for subsequent distribution to individuals and sell it to final holders independently, but has the opportunity to attract an agent for this (this can be any legal entity or individual entrepreneur who has opened accounts in Belarusian banks). Today this role is performed, for example, by operators mobile communications. The agent buys electronic money from the bank and then sells it to individuals, other legal entities or individual entrepreneurs.

Agents who purchase electronic money from banks for subsequent distribution to individuals were allowed to sell electronic money with deferred payment. Simply put, individuals will be able to pay for purchased electronic money later, but provided that the agent has already paid the bank for the electronic money purchased from him.

Agents themselves determine the period during which clients must pay them for purchased electronic money.

Let us remind you that the National Bank has been regulating transactions with electronic money since 2000.

While in Japan utility bills are paid in bitcoins, Belarusian legislation still knows nothing about them. International lawyer law firm Cobalt Timofey Savitsky talks in detail about how electronic money and cryptocurrencies are regulated in Belarus.

Electronic money

In accordance with Belarusian legislation, electronic money is electronically stored units of value, issued into circulation in exchange for cash or non-cash funds and accepted as a means of payment when making settlements with both the person who issued these units of value and with other legal entities and individuals, as well as expressing the amount of the obligation of this person to return funds to any legal entity or individual upon presentation of these units of value.

To put it simply: electronic money is obligations expressed in electronic form. In fact, it is an electronic analogue of cash. If non-cash funds are only entries in accounts (a virtual display of cash), then electronic money is an independent instrument that has an issuer, as well as properties such as cost, convertibility and negotiability.

The emission (issue) of electronic money in Belarus can only be carried out by banks and NKFO (non-bank financial institutions). Today, such electronic money as EasyPay (Belgazprombank), WebMoney (Technobank), Belqi (Priorbank), as well as a number of others are distributed on the Belarusian market.

According to official statistics from the National Bank of Belarus, the issue of electronic money, as well as the number of transactions made with it, decreased significantly from 2012 to 2015. The reason for this may be a number of nuances associated with the features legal regulation.

• Firstly, possibility of using electronic money legal entities in Belarus is significantly limited. Belarusian companies can accept electronic money and actually only “cash out” it, or use it for a narrow range of issues - for example, to pay travel allowances, taxes and other fees to the budget. Electronic money payments between legal entities are not allowed.
• Secondly, the law does not provide for the mutual conversion of electronic money. Thus, the issuer cannot exchange his electronic money for money from another system (individuals can only do this through private operators). Together with the factor mentioned above, this limitation does not contribute to strengthening the position of electronic money in the business environment.
• Thirdly, the attractiveness of payments in electronic money for individuals was also undermined by the mandatory identification of electronic money users. Despite the fact that the purpose of identifying wallets is quite legitimate and understandable - to suppress illegal monetary transactions and combat drug trafficking - for many users, the cumbersome identification procedure turned out to be a significant factor in refusing to use electronic money.

There are also a number of obstacles to increasing the efficiency of the electronic money market in Belarus. As in most countries of the world, in Belarus an appropriate license issued by the National Bank is required to issue electronic money. Such a license should provide the right to issue electronic money, attract funds on deposit, open and maintain bank accounts, and provide cash and settlement services.

At the same time, licensing requirements are higher compared to those in force in Russia or the EU countries. For example, in a standard situation, in order to obtain a license for cash and settlement services for the population, it is necessary to have specially equipped premises with cash registers and receiving terminals. For a business that wants to conduct more of its business online, such requirements may be too onerous.

In addition, the Belarusian market is open to foreign electronic money only through the intermediary of local banks. The latter are obliged to undertake an irrevocable and unconditional guarantee of the possibility of repayment of electronic money of non-resident issuers. Largely for this reason, large electronic money systems like PayPal are still not fully operational in Belarus: the obligation to repay electronic money for such a large system can be quite burdensome.

Thus, electronic money, despite all its popularity in other countries and the presence of specialized regulation in Belarus, has not yet become such a convenient and understandable tool for Belarusians. The reasons for this, as noted above, are the practical features of the legal regulation of electronic money and a number of legislative obstacles to the freer use of such payment instruments on the territory of Belarus.