finby has deployed Wero, the pan-European A2A payment solution developed by the European Payments Initiative (EPI), for its ecommerce merchants.
The deployment allows finby's ecommerce merchants to accept payments made directly from consumers' bank accounts, using instant transfer infrastructure rather than card-based rails.
Wero was developed by EPI and is backed by 18 European banks and payment providers, with more than 50 financial institutions participating in the initiative overall. The solution has been built on instant A2A transfers, enabling consumers to pay directly from their bank accounts without routing transactions through card networks.
Moreover, the solution has so far been used primarily for P2P and, increasingly, in-store payments, and has now begun expanding into ecommerce payments, a segment in which finby's deployment positions the company among an early group of acquirers offering the method to online merchants.
Strategic context for finby
finby has described the Wero deployment as part of a longer-term strategy focused on local payment methods and cross-border commerce. The company said it intends to continue expanding its portfolio with payment solutions aimed at supporting merchants operating across multiple European markets.
Commenting on the deployment, David Rintel, CEO of finby, said the move represents a step towards a more unified European payments ecosystem, adding that the company sees Wero as combining simplicity, security, and what he described as payment sovereignty for the region. Rintel also noted that finby sees potential for the method within the evolving European ecommerce landscape.
Martina Weimert, CEO of EPI, said finby's deployment helps expand access to Wero for both consumers and merchants, noting that the aim is to offer what she described as a competitive European payment solution with a fast and secure payment experience.
Industry implications
The integration reflects a broader trend among European payment service providers to diversify beyond card-based acceptance and incorporate instant, bank-based payment rails. A2A payment methods have gained regulatory and industry attention across the EU as alternatives to card schemes, partly in the context of discussions around European payment sovereignty and reducing dependence on non-European card networks.
For merchants, the addition of Wero alongside existing payment methods may offer an additional route to accept payments from consumers in markets where the scheme already has an established user base, particularly Belgium, France, and Germany. As Wero's ecommerce functionality continues to roll out, further deployments by acquirers and payment service providers across the region are likely to shape the pace of adoption among merchants and consumers alike.
