Five Belgian Banks Join EPI to Bring Wero to Even More European Customers

“We are delighted to be working with EPI. Their solution fits seamlessly with our vision of putting ease of use and simplicity first. It will enable us to serve our customers even better with an accessible payment tool. It is a significant step forward in our ambition to bring proximity and technology together in a smart way.” states Sander Blommaert, Chief Retail Officer at Argenta.

Bank Van Breda’s CEO, Dirk Wouters said “At Bank Van Breda, we are proud to contribute to shaping a truly European digital payment solution. By integrating Wero into our offering from 2026, we will empower our clients – entrepreneurs and liberal professions - with a fast, secure, and intuitive way to manage their payments which is fully aligned with their daily needs. Our decision to offer Wero as a standalone app reflects our commitment to flexibility and customer-centric innovation, ensuring our clients can access seamless payment experiences on their own terms.”

The addition of these five banks strengthens EPI’s footprint in Belgium, expanding national coverage and reflecting the country’s leadership in digital payments. With recent additions including neobank Revolut and five Luxembourgish banks, EPI’s growing membership highlights the increasing adoption of Wero across Europe.

“In line with our strong digital journey, mobile app usage at Beobank has grown by over 300% in just five years. Integrating payment solutions such as Wero is a logical next step in our digital evolution. Wero aligns perfectly with our commitment to provide innovative, secure, and convenient payment experiences that meet our customers’ everyday needs.” commented Koen Spinoy, Member of the Executive Committee at Beobank.

“The WERO wallet offers our customers payment convenience, security and control. It fits perfectly with our digital strategy to offer smooth and accessible payments for consumers and professional customers alike.”, added Jo Baetens, Director Payments and Investments at Crelan.

Leen Van den Neste, CEO vdk bank added “vdk bank stands for banking from person to person. We do this by making banking accessible to everyone. Not just by opening additional branches throughout Belgium, but also by keeping up with the latest digital trends so we can continue to make banking increasingly accessible and fun for our customers.”

Once it is deployed, customers of these four new member banks will be able to access Wero services directly within their banking apps, enabling instant account-to-account payments. They will benefit from a smooth and secure journey for their daily transactions – whether paying back a friend, sending money to their family, transferring money to a professional, or making immediate payments direct from their bank account for online or mobile shopping.

Bank Van Breda will use the Wero standalone app, allowing its consumers to download the app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store to access Wero services independently. 

“Wero is about Europe, and it starts with the “we” – the people - in their daily lives and local communities,” said Martina Weimert, CEO of the EPI Company. “That’s why I’m particularly proud to see the number of members trusting us is growing. These new members’ local presence and close relationship with their customers will be essential to making Wero a trusted part of everyday payments across the continent. Together, we are shaping a truly European solution rooted in the realities of everyone’s everyday life.”

Available since Summer 2024 for person-to-person transactions in Belgium, France and Germany, Wero has already gained more than 40 million registered users. As part of its ambition to become Europe’s main payment solution, Wero will begin to offer e-commerce payments in the second half of 2025. This will be followed by in-store payments, subscription management, and loyalty services from 2026.

About EPI

EPI (or European Payments Initiative) is supported by 16 European banks and payment service providers. They have joined forces with a common goal: to offer a unified mobile payment service, to all European companies and citizens, Wero. EPI intends to enable European consumers and to carry out all types of retail transactions simply, via a resolutely sovereign digital wallet.

About Argenta

Argenta is a leading bank-insurer that aims to make banking and insurance simple for families and the self-employed so they can make informed decisions to strengthen their financial health. This underlines Argenta's strategy to be the first choice for those who value sustainable financial advice without frills. With each other, for customers and in all simplicity: this is at of everything the bank does. Argenta has a strong branch network with 370 locations in Belgium, keeping personal contact and advice close by. In the Netherlands, Argenta has been present in the savings and mortgage market for over 25 years. With 1,83 million proud customers and €42 billion in home loans to households, Argenta confirms its strong market position. 1250 employees in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg in the respective headquarters, 1360 employees in the different branches in Belgium and almost 3500 intermediaries work every day to help customers make the right financial decisions.

About Bank Van Breda

Founded in 1930 and headquartered in Antwerp, Belgium, Bank Van Breda is a specialized niche bank dedicated to offering tailored advice and solutions to entrepreneurs and liberal professionals, guiding them and offer support to grow their businesses, real estate portfolio and personal ambitions. Bank Van Breda is a trusted partner for its clients, providing personalized, professional and proactive service through dedicated account managers and digital platforms. The bank operates in Belgium and is recognized for its stable growth and customer-centric approach.

Bank Van Breda integrates Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles across all operations. This integrated governance model reflects a culture of shared responsibility and ethical conduct. In 2024 Bank Van Breda was awarded best workplace in Belgium, proving its strong focus on employee wellbeing in a nurturing, productive work environment.

Bank Van Breda is part of the Ackermans & van Haaren group, a diversified investment company listed on Euronext Brussels. This relationship provides the bank with a stable shareholder base, supports the bank’s long-term vision and growth and ensures a focus on value creation for all stakeholders. More information www.bankvanbreda.be

About Beobank

Beobank NV/SA is a Belgian bank that serves its 790,000 customers daily through its products and services for individuals, self-employed individuals, and SMEs, as well as its network of 190 branches (Retail agencies and PRO Centers). Its 1,485 employees aim to simplify the lives of its customers with personalized solutions. In doing so, they build a sustainable relationship with their customers to provide optimal support at every stage of life. Beobank is a subsidiary of the Crédit Mutuel Group (figures as of 31/12/2024). More info: www.beobank.be

About the Crelan Group

The financial group ranks fifth among Belgian retail banks in terms of total assets. The Crelan group is represented by two bank brands: Crelan and Europabank. At the end of 2024, the Crelan group had 4327 employees (including staff members, independent bank agents, and their employees), 727 branches, 296,751 cooperative shareholders, nearly 1.7 million customers, and €55.8 billion in total assets. In addition, the banking group manages €44.3 billion in customer deposits, €16.5 billion in off-balance sheet investments, and supports Belgian households and businesses with €49.5 billion in loans.

About vdk bank

vdk bank is an ethical and sustainable bank experiencing strong growth. Since 1926, individuals and families with a heart for their community have been able to bank ethically and responsibly with vdk bank. Today, the bank has 62 local branches across Flanders and Brussels, as it continues to invest in personal banking. vdk bank currently serves around 150,000 customers in Belgium. For more information: www.vdk.be. 

About Wero

Based on instant account-to-account (A2A) payments, Wero further streamlines payments in Europe by eliminating intermediaries in the payment chain and the associated additional costs. Wero already supports payments between individuals, and will shortly unveil payments to professionals (P2Pro) and those for online and mobile purchases. Point-of-sale payments will also be offered, as well as value-added services such as merchant loyalty programs and recurring subscription management.