Wero: powering the future of payments in Europe

In an e-commerce landscape often dominated by global players, a new European solution has arrived: Wero.

Launched in 2024 and developed by the European Payments Initiative (EPI), this innovative payment solution already counts 42 million users and promises to transform the way payments work across Europe.

In this article, find out how this new solution aims to reshape the European payments landscape.

What is Wero?

Wero offers a full range of payment services, including money transfers between individuals or small businesses, an e-commerce solution, and in-store payments. For now, the solution is best known for its peer-to-peer (P2P) transfers, the first stage of its rollout designed to establish brand recognition.

Its core features include:

• SEPA Instant technology, enabling instant transfers,
• An intuitive interface, requiring only a phone number or email to initiate a transaction,
• Built-in strong customer authentication, fully compliant with European security standards.

How Wero’s services are evolving

Starting with P2P payments, Wero is following an ambitious roadmap:

• 2024: launch of P2P money transfers,
• 2025: rollout of the e-commerce solution, beginning in Germany (summer 2025),
• 2026: launch of e-commerce in France, along with the first in-store payment pilot,
• Beyond: further development of point-of-sale payments (QR code-based) and additional services such as BNPL, digital identity, and loyalty programmes.

For businesses embracing an omnichannel approach, Wero is a growth opportunity. By adding a payment solution designed to thrive both online and in-store, merchants can deliver a seamless experience across every sales channel.

A European sovereign solution

Today, most online payments in Europe still rely on international systems. Wero addresses this dependency head-on by strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy in the payments sector while ensuring data protection in full compliance with GDPR.

Created by a consortium of 14 major European banks and two payment industry leaders, including Groupe BPCE, Wero positions itself as a credible European alternative to non-European tech giants.

“A solution made by Europeans for Europeans, allowing every euro spent in Europe to stay in Europe.” — Fabrice Le Gall, Country Lead Relationship Manager, EPI

What are the benefits of Wero for merchants and consumers?

For merchants: a smooth and efficient solution

Wero delivers significant advantages for European e-merchants:

• Basket-based pricing, offering predictable financial planning and long-term cost stability,
• Single technical integration across multiple European markets, simplifying international expansion,
• Improved conversion rates thanks to a frictionless user experience, especially on mobile,
• Higher average basket value enabled by spending limits greater than those for card payments.

Tip for merchants: adopting Wero early can give you a significant competitive edge by offering customers an innovative payment method before your competitors. To install it quickly on your website, get in touch with the Payplug team.

For consumers: simplicity and scalability

End users also gain a reimagined payment experience:

• Ease of use: pay via phone number, email, QR code, or NFC, depending on the context,
• Positive experience: free P2P transfers and a consistent user journey across all sales channels,
• An evolving digital wallet: future integration of services such as digital identity and potentially the digital euro,
• Enhanced protection: built-in strong customer authentication.

What role do PSPs play in Wero’s rollout?

Just as banks drive adoption of P2P transfers, Payment Service Providers (PSPs) are central to Wero’s success in e-commerce.

Their role is to:

• Simplify merchants’ technical integration,
• Act as advocates for merchant needs and ensure efficiency for consumers, building trust in the product,
• Support merchants through the transition to this new solution,
• Create a unified experience across payment methods — a must-have in any omnichannel strategy.

“Payplug is one of the strategic players driving our growth. Their agility in integration and their merchant ecosystem enable us to secure Wero adoption.” — Fabrice Le Gall, Country Lead Relationship Manager, EPI.

Conclusion

Wero is far more than just another payment solution. This pan-European initiative marks a decisive step towards European digital sovereignty in payments, while bringing tangible benefits to e-merchants: a smoother user experience and stronger security.

Its arrival is an opportunity for merchants to rethink their payment strategy and adopt a solution aligned with Europe’s values of data protection and responsible innovation.

Ready to see how Payplug can help optimise your payment strategy?