Wero expands European payments network
Payment services from Spain, Italy and Norway among those joining network set to replace iDEAL.
The European payments platform Wero is being linked to payment services from several new countries. This should make it easier to transfer money between European countries and pay online or in shops, although the expansion does not mean all features will be available everywhere immediately.
Payment services from Spain, Portugal, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway are joining the European network, according to Emerce. Together, the participating services could reach around 130 million users in thirteen European countries. These are links between existing systems, not a single new bank account for all consumers.
Wero is being developed by the European Payments Initiative, a partnership of European banks and payment companies. The service is already active in Germany, France and Belgium. In the Netherlands, Wero will succeed iDEAL; the transition will begin with a joint iDEAL-Wero presentation and is due to last until the end of 2027.
For consumers, cross-border payments are particularly relevant. The intention is that someone can use a familiar banking environment to pay a retailer or person in another participating country. Availability will depend on the bank, the payment app and which Wero features have already been introduced in the country concerned.
For online shops, a single technical connection could provide access to customers in several European markets. This could reduce dependence on international card networks, but companies will have to adapt their payment pages, refunds, subscription functions and fraud prevention to the new infrastructure.
The expansion is part of a broader European search for home-grown payment infrastructure. National services such as iDEAL, Bizum, Bancomat, MB Way and Vipps MobilePay will continue to exist for the time being, but are increasingly being linked to one another. The advantage is reach; the disadvantage is that consumers and companies will have to deal with multiple brands, transition phases and different technical requirements.
The new cooperation is therefore primarily an infrastructure step, not an immediate promise that a Dutch person will be able to send money to any European country without restrictions tomorrow. Which features are available, which banks participate and what fees apply will have to become clear for each country and provider.
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The network expansion described and the transition from iDEAL to Wero have been confirmed by Emerce, Wero and DNB. The text sets out the practical consequences cautiously because availability varies by bank and country.
- confirmed Payment services from Spain, Portugal, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway are joining the European payments platform. — Mentioned in Emerce's current report. source
- confirmed Wero will succeed iDEAL in the Netherlands. — Confirmed by the Dutch Wero page. source
- confirmed The transition from iDEAL to Wero will run until the end of 2027. — Wero information for Dutch businesses names the end of 2027 as the end of the transition. source
- confirmed Wero is already active in Belgium, Germany and France. — Mentioned by Wero itself. source
Editor's note
The expansion of the network and the Dutch transition from iDEAL to Wero have been publicly confirmed. The precise consumer features, coverage and fees differ by country and have not yet been established everywhere.Sources
- Nieuwe landen treden indirect toe tot Wero — Emerce
- Wero - Europese betaaloplossing — Wero / European Payments Initiative
- Visie op Betalen 2026-2028 — De Nederlandsche Bank
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „wero ideal”
- NU.nl — „wero ideal”
- De Telegraaf — „wero ideal”