Global Payments has announced that its Worldpay business has joined the European Payments Initiative (EPI) as a Principal Member, enabling its merchant clients to begin accepting Wero, the pan-European instant payment solution, over the coming months.
Global Payments completed its acquisition of Worldpay in January 2026 following an April 2025 agreement. The deal saw Global Payments acquiring Worldpay from GTCR and FIS for a consideration of USD 24.25 billion, paid in a mix of cash and shares.
Wero is a mobile-first, A2A payment solution built on SEPA Instant Credit Transfer rails, enabling real-time transfers via phone numbers, QR codes, and in-app payment flows. Since its launch in mid-2024 across Germany, France, and Belgium, Wero has reached over 52 million consumers. Initially focused on peer-to-peer transactions, the solution is progressively extending to online retail throughout 2026.
Merchant integration and market context
Through the EPI membership, Global Payments' clients will be able to add Wero as a checkout option via a single integration, without additional hardware or interface changes. The addition of Wero extends Global Payments' European payment acceptance capabilities alongside existing payment methods, offering merchants a sovereign European alternative to international payment schemes at checkout.
The announcement comes as A2A payment volume globally is forecast to approach USD 3.8 trillion by 2030, and as mobile's share of ecommerce is projected to reach approximately 65% by the same year. For European merchants, Wero's real-time settlement and SEPA-native infrastructure present a differentiated option in markets where instant payment adoption is accelerating under EU regulatory mandates.
Furthermore, Wero's expansion into merchant payments in 2026 marks a significant shift in the solution's scope, moving beyond peer-to-peer transfers into the broader commerce ecosystem. Additionally, Global Payments' participation as a Principal Member gives the initiative direct access to a large merchant client base across Europe.
Talking about the move, James Fry, Head of Enterprise Product at Global Payments, said the Wero collaboration gives European clients another secure way to meet consumer expectations for flexibility at checkout. Martina Weimert, CEO of EPI Company, noted that the partnership with Global Payments enables new merchants to unlock access to an extended customer base instantly, securely, and cost-efficiently.
