European Payment Revolution: Europe's "Second" Payment Wero Quickly Becomes Reality with ING Introduction - ING Challenges PayPal with Real-Time Payment Service "Wero"

1｜What Happened: ING Fully Integrates "wero" into Its App

According to a report by a German newspaper, Lars Stoy, CEO of ING Germany, stated, "We will activate wero in August and fully integrate it into our banking app." This will affect approximately 10 million of the company's German customers. Wero is a system that allows instant fund transfers between accounts via phone numbers or email, eliminating the hassle of entering account numbers and waiting for funds to clear. 

2｜The True Nature of wero: A European Bank-Led "Instant × Inter-Account" Wallet

Wero is a digital wallet led by the European Payments Initiative (EPI). It starts with P2P (peer-to-peer) money transfers and is being rolled out in Germany, France, and Belgium. Users can make real-time transfers "within 10 seconds" based on their smartphone contacts. The plan is to expand into commercial uses, including online payments, in-store payments, subscription management, and loyalty programs in the future. wero-wallet.euEuropean Payments Council

3｜Wero by the Numbers: A User Base Already in the Tens of Millions

EPI reports that it has reached over 40 million registered users in participating countries. The German newspaper estimates this number to be 42.5 million. Although the brand is new, it is backed by existing systems and customers from various countries (e.g., Paylib in France, Payconiq in Belgium, Giropay in Germany, iDEAL in the Netherlands). Reuters

4｜Roadmap: 2025 Marks the Start of Online Payment Implementation

Starting in the summer of 2025, wero will gradually launch **online payments (e-commerce)**. The schedule begins with Germany, followed by Belgium (October 2025) and France (early 2026). Global PSPs like Worldline, Nexi, Nuvei, and Unzer are joining, and the infrastructure for merchant acceptance is steadily being established. epicompany.eufintechfutures.com

5｜Expansion of "Bank App × wero": Postbank and Revolut Join In

By the end of 2024, Deutsche Bank Group's Postbank will enable integration with the wero app. By the summer of 2025, Revolut will also join wero, allowing users in France, Germany, and Belgium to send and receive money within the Revolut app.The natural integration into the front end of banking apps is a strength that sets it apart from card networks and external wallets. db.comheise online

6｜Why a European Initiative is Necessary: Sovereignty and Fees

EPI states its goal as "European payment sovereignty and a unified user experience." The aim is to standardize real-time cross-border transfers, reduce costs for consumers and businesses, and decrease reliance on large foreign platforms. European Payments Council

7｜Voices from Social Media: Expectations, Frustrations, and Realism

Welcome

• "Wero was 'recently added' to the Revolut app," reported a Belgian user, sharing a positive experience. Opportunities to engage with both banks and fintech are increasing. Reddit

Frustration

• "the whole process is moving entirely too slow"—there are voices expressing "frustration" over the slow expansion of participating banks and commercial use. Reddit

• On Hacker News, there is a calm observation that "Wero replaces Paylib for payments between friends," indicating a critical view of its current P2P focus. Hacker News

Realists

• Many say, "It's meaningless unless store-side adoption expands," and "First, we need e-commerce support," aligning with the implementation roadmap starting in 2025. Redditepicompany.eu

Supporting European Integration

• There is strong support for a "European-made option," with comments like "We need an alternative to Visa/Mastercard" and "Integration of iDEAL/Payconiq makes sense." In July, several Belgian banks announced their participation in EPI, continuing to expand the base. RedditReuters
  
  

8｜Winning Strategy: Conditions for Wero to Become the "Second Card Network"

1. Clarifying the Motivation for Use
   Expanding use cases from P2P to online/in-store, and appealing with "wallet-specific conveniences" like points and subscription management. The period from this summer to next year, when PSPs like Worldline are early adopters, will be the starting point of the adoption curve. epicompany.eu

2. The Advantage of Being "Embedded in Banking Apps"
   Directly linked to accounts for instant and low-cost transactions. No need for charging, simplifying balance management. The ability to skip the "extra gate" of cards or external wallets makes it well-suited for subscriptions and high-value transactions. wero-wallet.eu

3. Network Effect × International Interoperability
   With the participation of Revolut and the joining of Belgian entities, the range of transfer recipients expands rapidly. EPI is also promoting interconnection with other European Union (EuroPA) initiatives, making a cross-border effective network visible. NFCW
   
   

9｜Risks and Challenges: User Experience and "Places to Buy"

• Purchase Protection and Dispute Resolution: A strong area for PayPal. Many voices on social media call for "dispute resolution on par with PayPal." Reddit

• Implementation Costs for Merchants: Whether PSPs can absorb these costs is key. The plan is to first build up adoption in e-commerce, followed by in-store adoption through QR and NFC integration. epicompany.eu

• Sense of Urgency: There is criticism that the "push" from P2P to C2B feels slow. ING's full integration will be a litmus test to accelerate this momentum. Reddit
  
  

10｜Conclusion: ING's Entry Expands the "Usable Partners" Stage

Wero is a bank account-linked "European-native" instant payment system. ING's implementation has a significant impact in terms of user base depth and the touchpoint of "being in the app from the start." If the number of "places to buy" begins to increase with the e-commerce implementation starting in the summer of 2025, it could redraw the European payment map in a trajectory different from PayPal or card networks. tagesspiegel.deepicompany.eu

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