3 cases of bank card blocking and transaction suspension from 2025

Recently, Vietcombank, Agribank, Sacombank, SHB, Cake by VPBank, MB, Shinhan Bank... have simultaneously sent notices to customers, stating that from January 1, 2025, customers' accounts or bank cards will have their transactions interrupted if their identification documents are no longer valid or have expired or if the customer has not registered for biometric authentication.

Specifically, Sacombank announced that from January 1, 2025, the bank will temporarily suspend all transactions at the counter and through online channels for customers with expired identification documents.

Services such as ATM/CDM withdrawals, card activation or renewal will also be interrupted if the customer has not completed biometric registration. This is to ensure the accuracy and security of the customer's financial transactions.

Similarly, NamABank said that from the beginning of 2025, the bank will suspend all payment transactions and withdrawals from accounts if customers' identification documents are no longer valid or the information has not been properly checked against national data. The bank will also stop electronic payment services if customers do not have appropriate biometric authentication.

VPBank also reminded that from January 1, 2025, any customer who has not updated their biometric information or has expired documents will have all transactions blocked. The bank warned that even simple activities such as transferring money via the VPBank NEO application or linking an e-wallet will be rejected.

Meanwhile, Agribank instructs customers to update their identification documents and proof of residence before they expire to avoid service interruption.

Shinhan Bank announced that from January 1, 2025, customers' accounts or cards will be interrupted when their identification documents are no longer valid or expired and have not been registered for biometrics. Customers need to update their latest identification documents and register for biometrics at the nearest Shinhan branches/transaction offices or SOL application.

The banks' announcements were made after the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) issued Circular 17 and Circular 18/2024, which stipulate that from January 1, 2025, bank account holders are required to undergo biometric authentication and update valid identification documents to continue conducting online transactions.

Failure to do so may result in the customer having certain banking services restricted or suspended, including online transactions and ATM/CDM use.

Specific cases where customers have their online transactions suspended and their cards locked are:

- Customers do not update expired identification documents. According to the new regulations, identification documents such as identity cards (ID cards), passports or citizen identification cards (CCCD) must be valid and the information must be fully updated in the banking system.

In particular, from January 1, 2025, all ID cards will expire according to the provisions of the 2023 Identification Law.

Those who have not changed their information to CCCD are required to complete the conversion procedure and update this information with the bank. Otherwise, customers will not be able to make any transactions, from withdrawals, transfers to online payments.

- Customer does not register biometrics. If this step is not completed, the customer's account will be suspended from all transactions from January 1, 2025.

For Vietnamese people working abroad who cannot return home to perform biometric authentication directly, banks have deployed a number of remote support solutions such as via banking applications, via the national electronic identification application (VNeID) for customers who already have a level 2 electronic identification account, or contact the bank for special support.

- Documents proving the residence period of foreign customers expire. Foreign customers currently residing in Vietnam must also update their documents when they expire. Failure to comply with this will result in blocking of bank transactions.