By The Rio Times | Created at 2026-09-25 07:06:54 | Updated at 2026-09-25 07:50:55
1 hour ago
COLOMBIA · FINTECH
Key Facts
- —What happened Claro Colombia and Grupo Aval agreed on 24 September 2026 to relaunch the Claro Pay wallet on Aval’s Dale platform.
- —How big Claro Pay had about 3.06 million users in 2025, and 70% of Claro’s mobile customers are prepaid.
- —What changes Users get instant Bre-B transfers, QR bill payments with cash back and 25,000 points for cash.
- —The catch The new version is only due between late October and early November, and full terms are not public.
- —Why it matters Cash still covers about two-thirds of everyday purchases in Colombia, central bank data show.
Claro Pay Colombia is getting a banking partner, as Claro and Grupo Aval try to pull prepaid users away from cash.
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Colombia’s biggest mobile operator is relaunching its payment app with one of the country’s main banking groups. Claro Colombia and Grupo Aval said on Thursday 24 September that the Claro Pay Colombia wallet will move onto Aval’s Dale platform.
The new version is due between the last week of October and the first week of November, DPL News reported. Grupo Aval president María Lorena Gutiérrez said it will be free to use.
What Changes for Claro Pay Colombia Users
Claro Pay launched in 2021 and had about 3.06 million users in 2025, La República reported. The relaunch adds a banking partner, instant transfers to other wallets and more services.
Users will be able to send money instantly, pay bills with QR codes and get cash back on some payments. They can also top up phones and buy prepaid packages on special terms.
Transfers to other banks and wallets will go through Bre-B, the central bank’s instant payment system. More than 25,000 points will handle cash deposits and withdrawals.
The companies announced the alliance at the Claro Tech Summit in Cartagena. Any Colombian, not only Claro customers, will be able to open a wallet, they said.
Claro Pay added real-time transfers through ACH Colombia’s Transfiya in July 2025. Transfiya stopped handling person-to-person transfers when Bre-B launched in October 2025, so Bre-B is now the route.
Credit History for Prepaid Customers
About 70% of Claro’s mobile customers in Colombia use prepaid plans, Claro Colombia president Rodrigo de Gusmão Ribeiro said. Special prepaid packages will be the wallet’s main hook.
Gutiérrez said the plan goes beyond top-ups. Every transaction, top-up and purchase in the wallet should help people without a financial history start building one.
She called it “the digital wallet that doesn’t go down”, stressing reliability. The partners also mentioned credit products for these users, without giving details.
Dale Provides the Banking Backbone
Dale, Grupo Aval’s own digital wallet, will act as a banking-as-a-service provider for Claro. It gives the regulatory, transaction and operating backing that Claro Pay needs, DPL News reported.
Dale is run by Aval Soluciones Digitales, an electronic deposits and payments company supervised by Colombia’s financial regulator. Grupo Aval also owns Banco de Bogotá, among other banks.
De Gusmão said the aim is for more people to handle everyday money needs from their phones. At the launch, he called Claro Pay “a wallet for everyone”, secure and available around the clock.
Gutiérrez said the deal combines Claro’s reach with “the power of our digital ecosystem and the flexibility of Dale”.
Where It Stands Against Nequi and DaviPlata
Claro Pay competes with much bigger wallets. Nequi belongs to Grupo Cibest, the parent of Bancolombia, and DaviPlata to the bank Davivienda.
The market is large: 62% of people surveyed in Colombia say they use mobile wallets, according to Grupo Credicorp’s financial inclusion index. Claro Pay has worked with fintechs before, including the lender Quipu.
Bre-B, launched on 6 October 2025, makes that competition easier. Because it links banks and wallets, a Claro Pay user can pay someone on Nequi or DaviPlata directly.
About 35 million Colombians have registered a Bre-B key, such as a phone number or ID number. More than 110 million keys are in the directory, the central bank told El Espectador.
The system handled 2.5 million payments a day in November 2025 and now handles almost eight million. About 65% of transactions are below COP 50,000 (US$15), payments for coffee or money sent to family.
By April 2026, Bre-B had processed more than 670 million transactions worth over COP 105 trillion (US$31.5 billion). The average payment was COP 156,711 (US$47).
Why It Matters If You Live in Colombia
If you live in Colombia, you know how much still runs on cash, from taxis to corner shops. The central bank’s latest data put cash at 65% of the value of everyday purchases, down from 89% in 2014.
Executives at the launch cited a higher, older figure of about 77%. Either way, cash is still king for small payments, and phone wallets are chasing that business.
Cash is not going away soon. The amount in circulation has kept rising, the central bank says, because people also hold cash as savings and a safety net.
The companies say any Colombian can open a wallet. They have not said whether foreign residents with a cédula de extranjería, the foreigners’ ID card, can sign up.
What Comes Next
Watch for the launch date, the published terms and details of the cash-back offers. Those will show whether the free wallet can win users from Nequi and DaviPlata.
The partners also plan credit for users who build a history in the wallet. They have not said when that will arrive or what it will cost.
Bre-B is also moving into business payments, such as payroll and supplier payments. A single transfer can reach COP 12.11 million (US$3,637), though banks may set lower limits.
Sources: DPL News, Claro and Grupo Aval alliance, 24 September 2026; La República, Claro Pay users and statement, 24 September 2026; El Colombiano, launch details, 24 September 2026; El País Cali, launch timing and fees; El Espectador, Bre-B interview, 13 September 2026; El Colombiano, cash share of purchases, 22 September 2026; Forbes Colombia, Bre-B figures, 21 September 2026. Exchange rate: Colombia’s official TRM for 25 September 2026, 3,329.61 pesos per US dollar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is changing with Claro Pay?
Claro’s existing wallet will run on Grupo Aval’s Dale platform, with Bre-B transfers, QR bill payments and 25,000 cash points. The new version is due in late October or early November.
Who can use Claro Pay?
Any Colombian, not only Claro customers, the companies say. They have not said whether foreign residents can sign up.
Will Claro Pay be free?
Grupo Aval’s president said it will be free for users. Detailed terms had not been published by 25 September 2026.
Does Claro Pay work with Bre-B?
Yes. Users will be able to send instant transfers through Bre-B, the central bank’s system, to other banks and wallets.
