A practical question that concerns anyone paying utilities: will they now have to indicate their tax number and full bank card number on the receipt? The National Bank's answer is no, and this directly contradicts what Ukrposhta Chairman Ihor Smilianskyi publicly claimed.
Smilianskyi claimed that NBU Board Resolutions No. 163 and No. 103 allegedly force the company to demand such data. "We categorically disagree with the new requirements, but according to the law, we must comply with them," he said, adding that Ukrposhta has already appealed to the NBU, the government, Parliament, and the ombudsman requesting a review of the regulation.
What actually changes in receipts
The National Bank responded that it has not introduced any new requirements regarding personal data, and the basic rules for preparing payment documents have been in effect since 2022. Moreover, amendments to Instruction No. 163, which take effect in March 2026, move in the opposite direction.
- When paying cashlessly, the payer's full name and tax registration number do not need to be indicated either in the payment instruction or in the confirmation document.
- When paying in cash, only the full name is indicated – without any card numbers or tax identifiers.
- The regulator has not established any separate or additional requirements for Ukrposhta.
In other words, for an ordinary person paying utilities by card online or through a bank app, the amount of personal data in the receipt from March 2026 is more likely to decrease.
Transition period is the same for everyone
The National Bank emphasized that all market participants – banks, postal services, payment services – received the same six-month transition period to adapt their processes. No exclusive or stricter conditions have been provided specifically for Ukrposhta.
"The disseminated information is based on a distorted interpretation of individual provisions, and some claims directly contradict their content. This may create a false impression among citizens about the National Bank's requirements and the level of protection of their personal data," the NBU statement reads.
The regulator also promised to check how payment operation documents are actually prepared in practice – that is, whether individual checkout points or terminals are requesting unnecessary data, contrary to the rules.
Why now and why this issue
Smilianskyi's statement emerged against the backdrop of a prolonged conflict between Ukrposhta and the NBU over a banking license for the postal operator. The regulator has demanded Smilianskyi's dismissal, but the government has not done so. Danylo Hetmantsev, chairman of the Rada's financial committee, said the confrontation has become personal between NBU Chairman Andriy Pyshnyi and Ukrposhta Chairman Smilianskyi.
In this context, the thesis about "new NBU requirements" looks more like an argument in a public dispute than a description of actual regulation. The question for the coming months is straightforward: will someone independently verify what exact data is actually printed on receipts at Ukrposhta branches after March 2026 – and whether they will comply with the new version of Instruction No. 163.
