What is Wero, and how can merchants use it?

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• What it is: Wero is the new European instant account-to-account payment standard, replacing solutions such as Paylib.
• Benefits: it enables secure transactions in under 10 seconds, without relying on international banking intermediaries.
• For merchants: improved cash flow thanks to immediate settlement and more predictable costs.

In an e-commerce landscape often dominated by international players, a new European solution is emerging: Wero. Launched by the European Payments Initiative (EPI), Wero aims to become the first European account-to-account (A2A) online payment standard, covering peer-to-peer payments, online transactions, and in-store purchases.
So what does Wero mean for merchants?

What is Wero?

Wero is an account-to-account (A2A) payment method based on SEPA Instant Credit Transfer (SCT Inst):

• Funds are transferred directly from one bank account to another.
• The transaction is completed in less than 10 seconds, 24/7.
• No card scheme is involved.

Unlike prepaid wallets, funds never pass through an intermediary account, ensuring complete cash flow continuity.

The role of the European Payments Initiative (EPI) in Wero

Wero is developed by the European Payments Initiative (EPI), a consortium of Europe’s leading banks — including BPCE, BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole, Deutsche Bank, and others. The project aims to create a pan-European payment scheme capable of becoming a common standard across the SEPA area.

Why is Europe accelerating the rollout of Wero?

Wero’s rapid growth in 2026 is driven by four major dynamics:

1. Strategic independence: reducing reliance on non-European networks to strengthen the EU's economic resilience. In a volatile international climate, building a European payment system is a matter of strategic sovereignty, governance, and long-term stability.

2. Harmonisation: Replacing fragmented local solutions (Paylib in France, iDEAL in the Netherlands, Bancontact in Belgium) with a single interoperable solution.

3. The rise of instant payments: consumers now expect transactions to be immediate.

4. Identity and payment convergence: Wero’s future lies in the integration of European digital identity, simplifying KYC processes and strengthening transaction security.

“A solution built by Europeans for Europeans, ensuring that every euro spent in Europe stays in Europe.” - Fabrice Le Gall, Country Lead Relationship Manager - EPI/WERO

The timeline for Wero’s e-commerce rollout

EPI teams are actively working towards making Wero available for e-commerce in summer 2026.

This merchant phase is crucial. Several major retailers have already confirmed their support for the solution:

• Leclerc
• Decathlon
• Veepee
• Air France
• Orange

Advice for merchants: early adoption of Wero could provide a significant competitive advantage, enabling you to offer an innovative payment method before your competitors. To integrate Wero quickly on your website, contact the Payplug teams.

How does Wero work in practice?

For merchants (e-commerce and in-store)

▪️ For online payments, Wero will appear in checkout as a seamless payment option.

▪️ For in-store payments, transactions will be completed via a QR code.

Wero also integrates value-added services designed for merchants:

• BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later): native split payments.
• Loyalty programmes: customer benefits integrated directly at checkout.
• Identity convergence: enabling secure one-click purchasing journeys.

For individuals (P2P payments)

Users link their phone number or email address to their IBAN via their banking app or the Wero app. Transfers are instant and secured using biometric authentication.

What are the benefits for European merchants?

Adopting Wero brings significant financial and operational advantages:

The benefits of Wero for merchants

• Simplified expansion: a single technical integration to reach 50 million users across France, Belgium, and Germany — and soon the entire SEPA area.
• Optimised cash flow: immediate settlement through instant payments.
• Predictable costs: pricing based on the basket amount, providing greater cost stability over time.
• High transaction limits: payments of up to €100,000 (depending on bank limits), ideal for high-value baskets.

How Wero differs from other payment methods

Wero offers an alternative to cards and international wallets.

Security and regulatory framework of Wero

All Wero transactions comply with PSD2/ PSD3 (Payment Services Directives), particularly regarding strong customer authentication (SCA).

Data is processed within a European regulatory framework, subject to GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). Because governance is European, data does not depend on non-European actors.

The irrevocable nature of instant transfers requires increased vigilance against Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud, where users are manipulated into initiating payments themselves. While the technical security level is high, risk increasingly shifts towards social engineering.

What role do PSPs play in Wero’s rollout?

Pour les marchands, l'intégration de Wero ne doit pas être un casse-tête technique. Les Prestataires de Services de Paiement (PSP) comme Payplug jouent un rôle de facilitateur.

"Payplug is one of our strategic partners in this rollout — thanks to their genuine integration agility and their merchant ecosystem, which gives us the reach to drive adoption of Wero's services."

Fabrice Le Gall, 
Country Lead Relationship Manager, EPI/Wero.

Payplug enables merchants to centralise Wero alongside other payment methods (CB, Apple Pay, etc.) within a single interface, ensuring simplified accounting reconciliation and a seamless customer experience.

Wero in summary

Wero marks a significant milestone in the development of a European payment ecosystem built on instant account-to-account transfers. Its ambition goes beyond replacing a national solution: it aims to establish a pan-European standard that strengthens European sovereignty, provides merchants with a structured A2A alternative, and simplifies the user experience.

Wero's success will ultimately hinge on three critical factors: bank-side adoption, merchant acceptance, and clear communication around new fraud risks. For European merchants, the goal is not to replace card payments — it is to progressively integrate a powerful new building block into their payment orchestration strategy.

Ready to explore how Payplug can help you optimise your payment strategy?