An X post by Mohamed Saeed, Spokesperson of the Bank of Maldives (BML), has firmly dismissed allegations circulating on social media claiming the bank is charging a blanket 30 percent fee on card transactions.
In the post, Saeed described the claims as baseless and entirely false, stating that they contradict the bank’s publicly disclosed fee structure. He emphasized that, as officially announced, no fee of up to 30 percent is applied to Maldivian Rufiyaa debit card transactions, except when used on a limited number of international e-commerce platforms, including Temu, Shein, Alibaba, AliExpress, Lazada, and eBay.
The clarification follows online claims suggesting that such fees were being imposed across a wide range of merchants, including those in critical sectors such as healthcare, education, and travel. According to BML, these assertions are completely unfounded and do not reflect the bank’s actual policies.
The bank further explained that, under its published Schedule of Charges, a cross-border fee of up to 30 percent may apply when MVR debit cards are used for international transactions. BML noted that such charges are standard practice among banks globally and are not targeted at specific merchants, sectors, or individuals. The bank also stressed that there are no preferential or discriminatory rates applied.
Highlighting its central role in the Maldivian economy, BML warned that the spread of misinformation could undermine public confidence and disrupt financial stability. The bank stated that such claims misuse freedom of expression and pose risks to the country’s financial system, given the extent to which individuals and businesses rely on its services.
BML urged customers to disregard unverified information circulating online and to rely only on updates issued through its official communication channels, reaffirming its commitment to transparency and accurate public disclosure.
