Belgian Banks Collaborate with European Payments Initiative to Implement Account-to-Account Payments
The European Payments Initiative (EPI) has announced its strategic expansion in Belgium, with five banks joining the project to roll out the Wero digital wallet and instant account-to-account (A2A) payment solution to their customers.
The first iteration of Wero was launched in France, Germany, and Belgium in June 2024, and the official launch in Belgium took place on November 19, 2024. The solution has already gained over 40 million registered users across the three countries.
The five Belgian banks joining EPI are Argenta, Bank Van Breda, Beobank, Crelan, and VDK Bank. These banks have expressed a strong commitment to integrating Wero as part of their digital payment offerings, aiming to provide fast, secure, and intuitive payment solutions for their clients.
The rollout of Wero in Belgium will begin in the second half of 2025, with the introduction of e-commerce payments. From 2026 onward, in-store payments, buy now pay later, loyalty services, and integration into the partner banks' offerings will be introduced.
Sander Blommaert, chief retail officer at Argenta, stated that EPI's solution aligns with Argenta's vision of simplicity and ease of use. Jo Baetens, director of payments and investments at Crelan, noted that Wero offers payment convenience, security, and control.
Beobank, one of the new members, has seen mobile app usage grow by over 300% in five years, and integrating payment solutions like Wero is a logical next step in their digital evolution. Bank Van Breda's CEO, Dirk Wouters, emphasized that integrating Wero into their offering aligns with the bank's commitment to customer-centric innovation and flexibility.
Martina Weimert, CEO of the EPI Company, expressed pride in the growing number of members trusting Wero, stating it will be essential for making Wero a trusted part of everyday payments across Europe. The addition of these five banks strengthens EPI's footprint in Belgium, expanding national coverage.
Wero operates on SEPA rails, enabling real-time payments within about ten seconds. The solution's ambition is to become Europe's main payment solution, competing with global players like Visa and Mastercard.
In summary:
| Timeline | Key Events | |--------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | June 2024 | Wero launched in France, Germany, Belgium | | November 2024 | Belgium launch (Nov 19) | | Second half 2025 | Ecommerce payments rollout | | 2026 and beyond | In-store payments, BNPL, loyalty, integration with Belgian banks |
| Belgian Banks Participating | Argenta, Bank Van Breda, Beobank, Crelan, VDK Bank |
This rollout reflects a strategic effort by EPI to create a pan-European payment solution, competing with global players like Visa and Mastercard.
Sources: [1][2][3][4]
[1] European Payments Initiative. (2024). Wero Launch in Belgium. Retrieved from https://www.epi.eu/news/wero-launch-in-belgium [2] European Payments Initiative. (2024). Wero Launch Timeline. Retrieved from https://www.epi.eu/wero-launch-timeline [3] European Payments Initiative. (2024). Belgian Banks Join EPI. Retrieved from https://www.epi.eu/belgian-banks-join-epi [4] European Payments Initiative. (2024). Wero Services Expansion. Retrieved from https://www.epi.eu/wero-services-expansion
The strategic expansion of the European Payments Initiative (EPI) in Belgium involves five banks, Argenta, Bank Van Breda, Beobank, Crelan, and VDK Bank, aiming to integrate the Wero digital wallet and instant account-to-account (A2A) payment solution into their digital payment offerings. In the realm of finance and technology, this move is a competitive strategy to provide fast, secure, and intuitive payment solutions for their clients, aligning with EPI's ambition to become Europe's main payment solution, competing with global players like Visa and Mastercard.
