payabl. Joins the European Payments Initiative To Expand Wero Access for Merchants and PSPs

Leading financial technology provider payabl. has today announced that it has become one of the first licensed members of the European Payments Initiative (EPI) and a direct participant in Wero, EPI’s newly launched pan-European, fast and secure digital wallet, already used by more than 43.5 million Europeans.

By integrating as a direct acquirer, payabl. enables merchants, as well as other payment service providers (PSPs), across Europe to offer instant, secure account-to-account (A2A) payments – cutting costs at checkout while giving customers the speed and convenience they demand.

Martina Weimert, CEO of the European Payments Initiative (EPI), said: “We are delighted to welcome payabl. as one of the very first licensed members of EPI and a direct participant in Wero. Their integration underlines the strong momentum behind Wero as Europe’s trusted digital wallet. By joining at this early stage, payabl. is helping us accelerate access to instant, secure account-to-account payments across borders – making everyday commerce more convenient for consumers and more cost-efficient for merchants.”

Backed by Europe’s largest banks and built on SEPA Instant, Wero is the first truly pan-European wallet. Payments clear in under 10 seconds, including cross-border transactions, offering a lower-cost alternative to cards and tackling cart abandonment with a friction-free checkout.

For merchants outside the EU, including the UK, the integration ensures they can serve European shoppers with their preferred local methods, maintaining competitiveness in eCommerce.

Ugne Buraciene, Group CEO of payabl., said: “Integrating with Wero gives our merchants across Europe a new way to offer instant, secure, account-to-account payments that customers can trust. This is about more than speed – it’s about creating choice, reducing costs, and building loyalty in a highly competitive market.”

Rising demand for speed, security and choice

A new era of faster, cheaper, and more efficient payments is here. Account-to-account (A2A) payments are reshaping how businesses and consumers transact, becoming a preferred option in sectors such as eCommerce, tech, and travel. With A2A payments projected to grow from 60 billion transactions in 2024 to 186 billion by 2029, the shift away from traditional card rails is accelerating.

What are A2A payments?

A2A transfers move money directly between bank accounts, bypassing intermediaries such as card networks. This model cuts costs, enhances security, and delivers near-instant settlement, making it a compelling alternative to traditional systems. Once a niche concept, real-time infrastructure has propelled A2A into the mainstream, unlocking new use cases and merchant benefits.

A global trend towards A2A

Global adoption proves the model’s potential: Brazil’s Pix now serves more than 150 million users, while India’s UPI processes billions of transactions every month. Europe, long seen as fragmented, now has the chance to establish its own scalable alternative with Wero – offering businesses and consumers a truly pan-European solution.

A changing European landscape

Momentum is also being fuelled by consumer behaviour. Research from payabl.’s State of European Checkouts report shows:

• 53% of consumers are willing to switch to new payment methods.
• 30% would do so for a faster checkout process.
• The top three drivers of payment choice are convenience (20%), speed (18%) and security (17%), far outweighing habit (9%) or widespread acceptance (11%).

These findings underline that Europeans are active decision-makers in how they pay – and they are ready for innovation if it delivers meaningful improvements.

Ugne Buraciene, Group CEO of payabl., said: “Account-to-account payments are no longer an experiment–they are fast becoming the backbone of the global digital economy. Consumers have made it clear: they want speed, convenience and trust above all else. With Wero, Europe has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver on those demands at scale, while giving merchants a cost-efficient alternative to traditional card networks. At payabl., we see this as the start of a new payments era – one where Europe sets the benchmark for seamless, secure and inclusive commerce.”

payabl.’s partnership with Wero ensures merchants can meet these expectations. By reducing checkout friction and enabling real-time settlement, merchants can attract, convert, and retain customers in a market where loyalty is hard-won and easily lost.