Starting this Easter weekend, many bank customers will see non-instant transfers held for four consecutive days, leaving payments stuck until systems reopen. Friday at 4: 30 p. m. ET the closure of Target 2 will block virement bancaire from Friday, April 3 to Monday, April 6, 2026, across the eurozone.
Virement Bancaire processing halted April 3–6 under Target 2 closure
Non-instant virement bancaire transactions will not be processed between Friday, April 3 and Monday, April 6, 2026, creating a four-day interruption in interbank transfers. The pause affects transfers between different banks: the sending bank logs the order but the funds remain queued until Target 2 restarts, producing four calendar days without interbank movement.
Fédération bancaire française sets Thursday cutoff; delayed processing on April 7 possible
In an official statement, the Fédération bancaire française warned that banks will stop accepting some transfer orders from Thursday, April 2 at 4: 30 p. m.; any transfer initiated after that cutoff will be processed only on Tuesday, April 7 at the earliest. That timetable means payments launched late Thursday will not reach recipients during the extended Easter break.
ECB-run Target 2 closure, instant-transfer exception, and other 2026 dates to note
Target 2, the system managed by the Banque centrale européenne, closes for the Easter weekend, a zone-wide decision rather than a choice by individual French banks. There are two exceptions: instant transfers have been offered since January 2025 without fees at French banks and can move money during the closure, though their maximum amounts are often lower than for classic transfers. Two additional Target 2 shutdowns are scheduled in 2026: around the May Day holiday (creating a three-day block from Friday, May 1 through Sunday, May 3) and at Christmas (Friday, December 25 through Sunday, December 27).
Many customers expecting a salary, a refund or a payment are advised to plan now. If transfers are launched by midday Wednesday, April 1, they should arrive before the Easter weekend; otherwise, non-instant orders will be queued until Target 2 reopens and are unlikely to be completed before Tuesday, April 7.
Next confirmed dates: the Target 2 closure around Friday, May 1 through Sunday, May 3, 2026 is the next scheduled interruption. If those holiday dates hold, banks will face another multi-day pause that requires advance scheduling of payrolls and large payments.
