Open Banking Czech Republic has entered a decisive regulatory phase — and businesses that act before July 2026 will gain a structural advantage over those waiting for the transition to force their hand. The PSD3 framework sets a firm deadline for compliance, reshaping how third-party providers access bank data and initiate payments across the Czech market. TODA Pay operates within this regulated infrastructure, connecting businesses directly to Czech bank APIs without the friction of legacy correspondent banking.
How Czech Open Banking Regulation Actually Works
The legal architecture for Open Banking in Czech Republic rests on three layers. The EU’s PSD2 directive established the foundational obligation for banks to open their infrastructure to licensed third parties. Czech lawmakers transposed PSD2 into national law through Act No. 370/2018 Coll. on Payment Systems, effective January 2018. The Czech Banking Association then built COBS — the Czech Open Banking Standard — to unify how that infrastructure communicates across 37 member institutions covering over 99% of the Czech banking sector.
PSD3 and the July 2026 Transition Deadline
PSD3 does not replace PSD2 — it sharpens it. The Council reached a compromise text in June 2025, and the 18-month transition period places the Czech Republic’s compliance deadline at 1 July 2026. Four material changes affect businesses operating in the Czech market:
- API quality standards tighten — banks must deliver higher reliability and documentation for third-party integrations
- Verification of Payee (VoP) becomes mandatory — every payment initiation requires real-time payee verification before execution
- Fraud liability clarification — the regulation defines explicit responsibility chains between the ASPSP, TPP, and end user
- Consent controls strengthen — users gain granular, revocable permissions over what data each third party accesses
Businesses that integrate with a licensed payment service provider before the deadline enter the PSD3 regime without operational disruption rather than scrambling to re-certify mid-operation.
Czech Open Banking API: Core Services Explained
The COBS standard defines three regulated service categories that licensed third-party providers deliver through Czech bank APIs. Each maps to a distinct operational need.
| Service Type | What It Does | Best For |
| AISP — Account Information Service | Retrieves balances, transaction history, standing orders with user consent | Financial reporting, creditworthiness assessment, accounting automation |
| PISP — Payment Initiation Service | Initiates payments directly from a customer’s bank account via API | E-commerce checkout, B2B invoice settlement, platform disbursements |
| CISP — Card Instrument Service | Confirms sufficient funds for card-based payment instruments | Pre-authorisation flows, subscription billing, high-risk transaction validation |
All major Czech ASPSPs — Česká spořitelna, ČSOB, Komerční banka, Raiffeisenbank, MONETA Money Bank, and Fio banka — provide PSD2-compliant APIs built on the COBS framework, with individual deviations documented per institution. A licensed TPP abstracts those differences, delivering a single integration point rather than six separate bank connections.
Account-to-Account Payments in CZK and EUR
Account-to-account payment via Czech Open Banking APIs eliminates card networks from the transaction chain entirely. The payer authenticates through their bank’s redirect flow using SCA-compliant credentials, the PISP submits the payment instruction directly to the ASPSP, and funds move without card scheme fees or chargeback exposure.
Czech Open Banking infrastructure currently supports the following payment formats for business transactions:
- Domestic CZK transfers — available across all major Czech ASPSPs via PISP, settling through the Czech interbank clearing system
- SEPA Credit Transfers (SCT) in EUR — supported by most major banks for cross-border payments within the SEPA zone
- Redirect-based and app-to-app authentication — standard redirect flows are universal; mobile app-to-app redirection is expanding across institutions
- Instant Payments Regulation alignment — Czech non-eurozone banks reach the EU’s mandatory instant payment receiving deadline in January 2027, with infrastructure investment accelerating now
Businesses processing regular CZK and EUR transactions through a licensed Czech Open Banking API provider gain the cost structure of direct bank rails with the compliance coverage of a regulated TPP.
Open Banking Use Cases for B2B and High-Risk Businesses
Traditional payment infrastructure routes high-risk and non-standard business models through expensive intermediaries, imposes card network rules that were never designed for B2B volume, and generates chargeback exposure that scales with revenue. Open Banking payments in Czech Republic remove each of those friction points at the infrastructure level.
The following business types generate the strongest operational ROI from Czech Open Banking integration:
- E-commerce merchants and platforms — replace card checkout with bank-direct A2A payment, eliminating interchange fees and reversing the chargeback dynamic entirely
- High-risk merchants (iGaming, forex, crypto, nutraceuticals) — access regulated payment rails that function independently of card scheme risk policies, maintaining payment continuity regardless of industry classification
- Importers and cross-border businesses — initiate SEPA SCT transfers and domestic CZK payments through a single API, reducing FX friction and correspondent banking delays on Czech supplier payments
- B2B platforms and marketplaces — automate invoice settlement, split disbursements, and reconcile transactions directly against AISP-retrieved account data, cutting manual accounts-payable workload
The AISP + PISP combination delivers particular value for B2B contexts: account data retrieval enables automated creditworthiness checks and reconciliation, while payment initiation closes the loop without leaving the integrated workflow.
Connect to Czech Open Banking Infrastructure Today
Accessing Czech Open Banking services requires either direct authorisation from the Czech National Bank — a process that demands significant regulatory investment — or partnership with an already-licensed TPP operating under an EU-recognised supervisory authority. TODA Pay holds the regulatory standing to serve as that infrastructure layer, giving businesses immediate access to Czech bank APIs without the overhead of independent authorisation.
Businesses connecting through TODA Pay gain the following operational capabilities from day one:
- Multi-bank PISP access — initiate CZK and EUR payments across major Czech ASPSPs through a single integration
- AISP data retrieval — pull account balances, transaction history, and standing orders for automated reconciliation and financial reporting
- PSD3-ready compliance posture — the platform’s architecture aligns with the July 2026 transition requirements, so business operations continue without re-integration
- High-risk merchant support — payment infrastructure that functions across industries where card scheme acceptance is restricted or unpredictable
TODA Pay accepts applications from SMEs, enterprise clients, cross-border platforms, and high-risk merchants operating in or with the Czech market — contact the team to configure an integration scoped to your specific payment volumes and business model.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Open Banking in the Czech Republic?
Open Banking in the Czech Republic gives licensed third-party providers API access to bank account data and payment initiation under PSD2 and the COBS standard. The Czech Banking Association developed COBS to standardise how TPPs integrate with Czech banks across the 37-member banking sector.
Which Czech banks support Open Banking APIs?
All major Czech banks — Česká spořitelna, ČSOB, Komerční banka, Raiffeisenbank, MONETA Money Bank, and Fio banka — provide PSD2-compliant Open Banking APIs built on the COBS framework. Each institution documents its specific deviations from the standard, which a licensed TPP handles transparently on the business’s behalf.
How does PSD3 affect businesses operating in Czech Republic in 2026?
PSD3 introduces mandatory Verification of Payee, tighter API quality requirements, and clarified fraud liability between banks, TPPs, and end users. Czech businesses using Open Banking payment services must align with the updated framework by July 2026 to avoid compliance-driven service interruption.
Can foreign companies use Czech Open Banking services?
Foreign companies access Czech Open Banking APIs through a TPP licensed by the Czech National Bank or by a supervisory authority in another EU member state — no separate Czech authorisation is required. Partnering with an established PSP provides immediate, compliant access to Czech bank infrastructure without direct regulatory engagement.
What is the difference between AISP and PISP in Czech Open Banking?
An AISP retrieves account data — balances, transaction records, and standing orders — under user consent, supporting financial analysis, reporting, and creditworthiness workflows. A PISP initiates payments directly from a bank account via API, enabling A2A transactions that bypass card networks and their associated fee structures entirely.
