Starting November 1, 2026, Oschadbank will increase the maintenance fee for inactive current accounts that are not linked to a payment card to 150 UAH. Consequently, this new fee will not automatically apply to all bank cardholders. To avoid unexpected charges, clients should check any accounts that have not been used for a long time and clarify with the bank the conditions under which the fee is applied, or how to close an account that is no longer needed. This is stated in an official announcement from the bank. The financial institution explained that the new fee is being introduced following a decision by the product committee, which reviewed the terms of service for current accounts that do not utilize payment cards.
These changes relate to the fee schedule originally approved by the bank’s Management Board resolution No. 124, dated April 16, 2009. Under the updated terms, the maintenance cost for inactive current accounts without a linked card will rise to 150 hryvnias.
Who will be charged 150 UAH by Oschadbank starting November 1?
The new fee applies to inactive current accounts that are maintained without a payment card. To understand what this entails, it is necessary to distinguish between two types of banking products.
The first is a standard card account, to which a physical or virtual bank card is linked. These are the types of accounts most Ukrainians use to receive salaries, pensions, and social welfare payments, as well as to make purchases and transfer funds.
The second is a current account without a payment card. While this type of account also allows for banking transactions—such as receiving and transferring funds—it does not require a card for its operation. For example, a person might have opened such an account several years ago to receive a specific payment, settle a transaction, or carry out another financial operation. Afterward, the need for the account disappeared, but the client did not contact the bank to close it. As a result, the account continues to exist, even though its owner has not performed any transactions for a long time. It is precisely for such inactive accounts that Oschadbank is increasing the cost of maintenance.
Therefore, the fact that a person uses a standard Oschadbank salary, pension, or other payment card does not automatically mean they will be charged the new 150 UAH fee. However, such a client might also have an additional, cardless current account that was opened previously.
What constitutes an inactive account, and why might fees be charged for it?
An account is generally considered “inactive” if no transactions meeting the bank’s specific activity criteria have taken place over a defined period. Such an account can remain open regardless of whether it holds any funds. For instance, a Ukrainian might have opened a current account in 2022, received funds into it, and subsequently transferred the entire balance to another bank. Afterward, the individual stopped using the account but failed to close it. Years later, the person might not even remember that the account exists. Nevertheless, from the perspective of banking services, the account remains open until it is formally closed in accordance with established procedures. Banks may impose a separate maintenance fee for such accounts. At the same time, the conditions for its accrual, the amount, and the frequency are determined by the applicable fee schedule and the agreement.
Can a debt arise if there are no funds in the account?
Another nuance concerns accounts with a zero or very low balance. For example, if only 50 UAH remains in an old current account, but the fee schedule stipulates a charge of 150 UAH, the question arises: will the bank deduct only the available funds, or will it charge the full fee? In its announcement, Oschadbank did not clarify how it would handle such a situation. Theoretically, the service terms could allow for various scenarios—deducting funds up to the available balance, deferring the collection of the fee, or creating a debt (if permitted by the terms of the agreement). First and foremost, clients should check whether they have any open current accounts that are not linked to payment cards. This is particularly relevant for those who previously used the bank for one-off payments or opened additional accounts.
You can verify this information via the bank’s remote service channels, by contacting the call center, or by visiting a branch in person. When making an inquiry, you should clarify which accounts remain open, whether they are classified as “inactive,” and whether the 150 UAH fee applies to them. You should also find out how long an account must remain inactive (i.e., without transactions) to be assigned this status, and specifically which types of transactions the bank considers when determining account activity. Additionally, you should ask about the frequency with which the fee is charged and whether it can be applied to an account with a zero balance.
