# Croatia — payment codes and schemes

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/HR
> extracted at 2026-10-03
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

## Summary

- **HUB3 with PDF417** is the dominant payment barcode standard in Croatia, mandated by the Croatian Banking Association for all payment slips
- Croatia uses a unique **model + reference number** system not compatible with standard European QR codes
- **EuroNKSInst** is the instant payment system, integrated with **TIPS** since June 2023
- All major mobile banking apps support 2D barcode scanning (HUB3/PDF417)
- SEPA Instant payments mandatory from January 2025 (receiving) and October 2025 (sending)

## Banking landscape

### Central Bank
- **Name:** Hrvatska narodna banka (HNB) - Croatian National Bank
- **Website:** https://www.hnb.hr/

### Major Banks (2024)

| Rank | Bank Name | Total Assets (EUR) | Market Share | Parent Group |
|------|-----------|-------------------|--------------|--------------|
| 1 | Zagrebačka banka d.d. (ZABA) | 21,171 M | 25.16% | UniCredit (Italy) |
| 2 | Privredna banka Zagreb d.d. (PBZ) | 16,990 M | 20.19% | Intesa Sanpaolo (Italy) |
| 3 | Erste&Steiermärkische Bank d.d. | 15,113 M | 17.96% | Erste Group (Austria) |
| 4 | OTP banka d.d. | 8,546 M | 10.15% | OTP Bank (Hungary) |
| 5 | Hrvatska poštanska banka d.d. (HPB) | ~3,500 M | ~4% | Croatian State |
| 6 | Raiffeisenbank Austria d.d. | ~2,500 M | ~3% | Raiffeisen (Austria) |
| 7 | Addiko Bank d.d. | 2,344 M | 2.78% | Addiko Group |

**Market Concentration:** Top 3 banks hold ~60% of assets; Top 6 hold ~90%

### Banking Association
- **Name:** Hrvatska udruga banaka (HUB) - Croatian Banking Association
- **Website:** https://www.hub.hr/
- **Role:** Defines payment standards including HUB3

---

## Payment infrastructure

### National Payment Systems

| System | Operator | Type | Status |
|--------|----------|------|--------|
| EuroNKS | FINA | Batch clearing | Active |
| EuroNKSInst | FINA | Instant payments | Active (since Oct 2020) |
| TIPS | ECB/Eurosystem | Pan-European instant | Connected June 2023 |

### EuroNKSInst (Instant Payments)
- **Operator:** FINA (Croatian Financial Agency)
- **Launch:** October 2020 (as NKSInst for HRK), converted to EUR January 2023
- **Coverage:** 24/7/365
- **Max Amount:** €100,000 per transaction
- **TIPS Integration:** June 24, 2023
- **SEPA SCT Inst:** Fully compliant

### SEPA Compliance Timeline
- **January 9, 2025:** All banks must receive SEPA instant payments
- **October 9, 2025:** All banks must send SEPA instant payments
- **Fee Requirement:** Instant payment fees must equal standard SEPA fees

---

## Mobile payment apps

| App Name | Bank | 2D Barcode Scan | QR Scan | Barcode Generate | Notes |
|----------|------|-----------------|---------|------------------|-------|
| m-zaba | Zagrebačka banka | Yes | Yes | Yes | "m-foto pay" feature |
| PBZ Mobile | PBZ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Full HUB3 support |
| George Hrvatska | Erste Bank | Yes | Yes | Yes | "Scan & Pay" |
| OTP Mobile | OTP banka | Yes | Yes | Yes | Full HUB3 support |
| mHPB | HPB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Full HUB3 support |
| BKS mBanka | BKS Bank | Yes | Yes | Yes | "Scan and pay" |

### All major apps support:
- PDF417 (HUB3) barcode scanning
- QR code scanning
- Automatic payment form population
- Camera-based scanning

---

## Third-party payment apps

| App Name | Type | HUB3 Support | Bank Integration |
|----------|------|--------------|------------------|
| KEKS Pay | P2P/Bill Pay | Yes | Multi-bank (any card) |
| Google Pay | NFC/Online | No | Limited banks |
| Apple Pay | NFC/Online | No | Limited banks |

### KEKS Pay
- Developed by Erste Bank but works with any Croatian bank card
- Supports HUB3 barcode scanning for bill payments
- Can be used abroad to pay Croatian bills
- P2P payments between users

---

## Schemes

| Scheme | Type | Symbology | Adoption | Technical standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [HUB3](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/HR/hub3) | Payment slip barcode | PDF417 | 100% | [`hub3`](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/hub3) |
| [EPC QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/HR/epc-qr) | Payment QR | QR Code | Growing | [`epc-qr`](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/epc-qr) |

## Sources

- [Croatian Banking Association (HUB) - HUB3 Standard](https://www.hub.hr/hr/format-zapisa-pdf417-2d-bar-koda-prema-hub3-standardu)
- [HUB3 Official Specification PDF](https://www.hub.hr/sites/default/files/inline-files/2dbc_0.pdf)
- [FINA - EuroNKSInst](https://www.fina.hr/eng/financial-services-and-payment-systems/payment-systems/euronksinst)
- [HNB - Payment Systems](https://www.hnb.hr/en/core-functions/payment-system/payment-systems)
- [TheBanks.eu - Croatia Major Banks](https://thebanks.eu/countries/Croatia/major_banks)
- [HUB3 Barcode API Documentation](https://hub3.bigfish.software/api/v1)
- [ECB - Croatian Market Joins TIPS](https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/intro/news/html/ecb.mipnews230627.en.html)
- [European Payments Council - Croatian Payment Landscape](https://www.europeanpaymentscouncil.eu/news-insights/insight/croatian-payment-landscape)
- [Expat in Croatia - How to Pay Bills](https://www.expatincroatia.com/pay-bills-invoice-racun-croatia/)
- [FIRA Finance - 2D Barcode vs QR Code](https://fira.finance/news/what-is-the-difference-between-a-2d-barcode-in-croatia-and-a-qr-code-used-for-quick-payment-in-europe/)

## Full country report

[HR-croatia.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/HR)