Europe at your fingertips: Mobile payments join forces

© Bancontact

Since this spring, the Payconiq logo has officially disappeared from Brussels shop windows. By bringing its solutions together under a new brand while preparing interoperability with the European Wero network, Bancontact Company aims to make life easier for businesses. A closer look at a quiet revolution at the checkout.

It has become such an ingrained habit that we barely notice it anymore. In 2025, Bancontact Company recorded a staggering 2.5 billion transactions in Belgium. The figures speak for themselves: with 18 million cards in circulation and brand recognition reaching an impressive 94%, Bancontact has become an integral part of everyday life in Belgium. Yet merchants, self-employed professionals and SMEs will have to adjust their terminology. The iconic “Payconiq by Bancontact” app is undergoing a complete transformation. For consumers, it becomes “Bancontact Pay”. For the business community supported by Beci, all professional tools are being brought together under the name “Bancontact Pro”.

This simplification first addresses a very practical need: making everyday payment management clearer and easier for local businesses. In the background, the arrival of Wero also paves the way for greater interoperability between European payment solutions.

The end of complexity at the point of sale

For business owners, choosing and managing payment terminals can sometimes turn into a technical maze. By unifying its architecture, Bancontact is first and foremost bringing clarity to the market. The evolution of consumer habits has clearly shaped this shift. In-store card payments remain the backbone of retail, with 1.9 billion purchases recorded last year. However, a major transition is underway: 1.4 billion of these payments are now contactless.

For merchants, this brand transition is designed to be seamless and automatic. Nothing changes in existing contracts or pricing structures. Familiar mobile payment tools are simply being renamed to create a clearer and more coherent ecosystem. The “Payconiq Go” app, which allows mobile merchants and professionals such as freelancers to turn their own smartphone into a payment terminal using a simple QR code, is now called “Bancontact Pro”.

As a result, every type of business – from fast-growing start-ups to local neighbourhood shops – can manage its financial flows through a single interface, without operational disruptions and while benefiting from competitive transaction fees.

The smartphone as Europe’s common payment tool

While the operator’s DNA remains firmly Belgian, its ambitions extend well beyond national borders. The rollout of this new identity was accompanied in March by a major logistical operation: replacing the old Payconiq stickers across a network of more than 80,000 physical points of sale. The new stickers feature a redesigned QR code capable of processing both Bancontact Pay transactions and, progressively, Wero payments.

The timing is particularly appropriate, as smartphone usage continues to accelerate. In 2025, nearly one Belgian in two (48%) used their phone to scan a QR code. According to Bancontact Company, mobile payments now account for 21% of the brand’s total transactions, exceeding 526.2 million payments per year. Online, mobile devices have also become the preferred channel: 88% of online purchases made via Bancontact are already completed on a mobile screen.

For businesses in Brussels, this interoperability changes the game. In the future, a French, German or Dutch tourist will be able to pay their bill in Brussels by scanning the Bancontact QR code with their own national banking app, provided that it has integrated Wero.

Local heritage and European ambition

This transition is not starting from scratch: it builds on the trust of an already loyal user base. “The app used by 2 million people is not disappearing: it is becoming Bancontact Pay, continuing to make everyday mobile payments easier,” explains Nathalie Vandepeute, CEO of Bancontact Company. “By bringing all our brands together under the Bancontact name, we have created greater clarity and laid the foundations for sustainable growth in the years ahead.”

The strength of this transformation lies in the balance between the sovereignty of a leading local player and international openness. As the CEO explains, this renewed identity creates “a bridge between our heritage, trusted by millions of consumers and merchants, and our vision of a simple, secure and open European payment future.”

At a time when global technology giants are seeking to establish themselves in our payment ecosystem, strengthening a leading European player represents a solid alternative.