
The Bangladesh Electronic Funds Transfer Network (BEFTN) is a secure and efficient payment solution that has revolutionized the way people transfer funds in Bangladesh. It was launched in 2009.
This network allows for the transfer of funds between banks, and it's used by over 70 banks in the country. The system is designed to be fast, reliable, and secure, making it a popular choice for both individuals and businesses.
One of the key features of BEFTN is its ability to process transactions in real-time, allowing for instant transfers of funds between banks. This has greatly reduced the time and effort required for transactions, making it a more convenient option for users.
What Is
The Bangladesh Electronic Funds Transfer Network (BEFTN) is a system that allows for the transfer of money from one bank account to another without physical money changing hands.
BEFTN is a crucial system for ensuring seamless transfers across various financial institutions, including those within the Dhaka Stock Exchange.
It operates through batch processing and typically takes one business day for funds to clear.
The system is widely used in the stock market for payments related to share purchases, dividends, and other investment-related activities.
BEFTN supports both credit and debit transactions, providing a secure and efficient way to transfer funds.
The system is designed to be fast, convenient, reliable, and secure, making it a reliable option for domestic payment and collection of funds.
BEFTN is particularly useful for large-scale financial transactions, such as salary disbursements, dividend payouts, and pension transfers.
How It Works
Bangladesh Electronic Funds Transfer Network (BEFTN) is a sophisticated system that facilitates electronic payment transactions among participating banks. It operates as a processing center and delivery center for the distribution and settlement of electronic credit and debit instruments.
All commercial banks in Bangladesh are members of the BEFTN hub, which enables them to send and receive payments. Payments can be made to individuals or institutions, and a payment instruction must be provided by the Bangladesh Bank.
To initiate a payment, it is mandatory to use the routing code for the beneficiary branch. This unique routing code is assigned to each bank in the network.
All payment transactions are calculated into a single multilateral netting figure for each individual bank. This figure represents the net position of each bank at the end of each processing cycle.
The BEFTN network provides faster, safer, and more efficient means of inter-bank clearing compared to the existing paper-based system. It also offers a wide range of electronic products to improve payment services for customers of participating banks.
The BEFTN system involves transmitting, reconciling, and calculating the net position of each individual participant at the end of each processing cycle. This process ensures accurate and timely payment settlements.
Advantages
The BEFTN system is a game-changer for payment processing in Bangladesh. It creates a smooth payment system among all branches across the country, ensuring highly secured payment services.
One of the most significant advantages of BEFTN is its efficiency. It's paperless and automated, optimizing bank's cash flow management process and working capital cycle. This results in significant time savings, with payment initiation making an end-to-end automated process with auto reconciliation capabilities.
Here are some key benefits of using BEFTN:
- It reduces turnaround time significantly to one day from a number of days from traditional payment mechanisms.
- It ensures highly secured payment service since there will be no chance of alteration unlike in the case of the existing paper-based system.
- It is efficient since it is paperless & automated.
Advantages of
The advantages of using electronic payment systems are numerous. It creates a smooth payment system among all branches across the country.
One of the most significant benefits is that it ensures a highly secured payment service. This is because there's no chance of alteration, unlike in the case of the existing paper-based system.
With electronic payment systems, you can expect an efficient process since it's paperless and automated. This optimization of bank's cash flow management process and working capital cycle can make a huge difference.
Payment initiation becomes an end-to-end automated process with auto reconciliation capabilities. This significantly reduces turnaround time, often to just one day from a number of days from traditional payment mechanisms.
Here are some key advantages of electronic payment systems at a glance:
- Easy and convenient
- Fast and secure
- Efficient and less expensive than paper cheque payments and collections
- No fees and charges
- No wasted time dealing with bounced cheques
- Any amount can be transferred
Why Choose for Stocks?

Choosing the right platform for your stock market transactions is crucial. With BEFTN, you can enjoy increased security and compliance, thanks to its operation under Bangladesh Bank's regulation.
This ensures that all stakeholders in the Bangladesh stock market are protected. You can rest assured that your transactions are secure and compliant with national financial standards.
One of the standout features of BEFTN is its ability to reduce processing time. Transactions, especially within the DSE and stock investment in Bangladesh, are expedited through BEFTN.
This means that you can get top traded companies and sector PE ratios updated continuously, giving you a competitive edge in the market.
Disadvantages:
The Bangladesh Electronic Funds Transfer Network (BEFTN) is a convenient way to transfer funds, but like any system, it's not without its drawbacks. One major disadvantage is that stolen credit cards can be used to make unauthorized transactions.
Once a transaction is made, the bank cannot reverse it, so it's essential to be cautious when using BEFTN. This lack of reversibility can be a significant risk for both senders and receivers.
BEFTN can be slow for cash collection, which may not be ideal for businesses that rely on quick transactions. This comparative slowness can be frustrating for those who need to receive funds quickly.
The sender has no control over the funds once a remittance is made, which can be a concern for those who need to track their transactions.
Features and Charges
Bangladesh Electronic Funds Transfer Network (BEFTN) offers a range of features that make it an attractive option for users.
BEFTN provides real-time processing, which is especially beneficial for DSE trading platforms and stock trading.
This feature allows for fast and efficient transactions, making it ideal for investors and stock trading tools operating in the Dhaka Stock Exchange and Bangladesh stock market.
BEFTN also offers nationwide coverage, with a reach across Bangladesh that aids investors, stock trading tools, and entities operating in the Dhaka Stock Exchange and Bangladesh stock market.
This means that users can access BEFTN's services from anywhere in the country, making it a convenient option for those who need to make transactions quickly and easily.
BEFTN has integrated with banking systems, facilitating daily share bazar transactions, dividend distributions, and investment fund transfers.
This integration ensures that transactions are processed smoothly and efficiently, reducing the risk of errors or delays.
Here are some of the key features of BEFTN:
- Real-Time Processing: Allows for fast and efficient transactions.
- Nationwide Coverage: Enables users to access BEFTN's services from anywhere in the country.
- Integration with Banking Systems: Facilitates daily share bazar transactions, dividend distributions, and investment fund transfers.
BEFTN also offers debit and credit transaction facilities under its electronic fund transfer (EFT) network, providing users with an easy, faster, and hassle-free service.
Technical Details
The Bangladesh Electronic Funds Transfer Network (BEFTN) operates on a national level, connecting all commercial banks in the country.
The network uses a centralized system, allowing for real-time transactions and updates.
The BEFTN system is based on a batch processing mechanism, where transactions are processed in batches throughout the day.
Each batch is given a unique batch number, which is used to identify the transactions within that batch.
The system also uses a settlement mechanism, where the net settlement amount is calculated and credited to the accounts of the participating banks.
The BEFTN system is designed to be secure, with multiple layers of security checks to prevent unauthorized transactions.
The network uses a combination of encryption and authentication protocols to ensure the integrity of transactions.
The BEFTN system is also designed to be scalable, with the ability to handle a large volume of transactions.
The system uses a distributed architecture, with multiple nodes connected to the central server.
This allows for faster processing and reduces the risk of system failure.
National Payment Switch
The National Payment Switch, or NPSB, is a vital component of Bangladesh's electronic funds transfer network. Launched by the Bangladesh Bank in 2012, NPSB enables instant fund transfers between banks.
NPSB acts as a hub for real-time payments, including for stock trading activities. This is particularly useful for stock market traders who need quick, real-time financial transfers. Whether you're buying shares on the DSE or transferring funds to your stock trading account on platforms like Biniyog, NPSB ensures instant transfers without delay.
NPSB supports ATM, POS, and internet banking transactions, making it a go-to system for various financial activities. It integrates various digital payment systems under one umbrella, providing a seamless payment experience for users.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is EFT in banking in Bangladesh?
In Bangladesh, Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) is a secure computer-based system that enables financial transactions without bank staff intervention. It facilitates fast, convenient, and reliable money transfers between accounts.
Sources
- https://learningbdschool.wordpress.com/2018/09/24/bangladesh-electronic-funds-transfer-network-beftn/
- https://www.thestrategywatch.com/beftn/
- https://www.biniyog.com.bd/blogs/beftn-vs-npsb
- https://www.biniyog.com.bd/blogs/bangladesh-electronic-fund-transfer-network-beftn
- https://ibb-bankingdiploma.blogspot.com/2015/06/state-settlement-procedure-for-online.html
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