European Mobile Payment Leaders Unite to Celebrate Europe Day with Cross-Border Initiative

On Europe Day, six leading European mobile payment services—Bizum (Spain), BANCOMAT (Italy), Blik (Poland), Blink by BORICA (Bulgaria), MB WAY/SIBS (Portugal), and Vipps MobilePay (Denmark, Finland, and Norway)—have come together to reaffirm their commitment to building a stronger, digitally connected Europe. This collaboration celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, a foundational step in the creation of the European Union.

The Schuman Declaration, signed on May 9, 1950, emphasized that European unity would arise from “concrete achievements that create a de facto solidarity.” Today, this principle is taking shape as interoperable, cross-border instant payment solutions, making real-time mobile transfers possible across European countries.

EuroPA: Building a Pan-European Digital Payments Infrastructure

The collaboration is part of EuroPA (European Payments Alliance), an initiative to develop a seamless and sovereign European payment system. EuroPA leverages EU standards, the trust of local payment brands, and private sector collaboration to enhance Europe’s strategic autonomy and technological independence in the digital payments landscape.

Bizum, a Spanish mobile payment platform backed by the national banking sector, is leading this effort. Its CEO, Ángel Nigorra, shared:

“Today, on Europe Day, the best way to congratulate Europeans is to give them the news that they will be able to make instant transfers with their mobile phones across the continent, in the same way they are used to, without changing their daily habits.”

Instant Mobile Transfers Across Borders: A Reality in 2024

The EuroPA initiative already connects over 50 million users and over 180 financial institutions, creating an ever-expanding ecosystem of interoperable instant payments. In 2024 alone, the original trio—Bizum, BANCOMAT, and MB WAY/SIBS—processed over 2 billion transactions, leading the instant payment market in their respective countries.

With the inclusion of Blik, Blink by BORICA, and Vipps MobilePay, the alliance is rapidly expanding its geographic footprint. This progress is a significant step toward enabling cross-border instant payments that are fast, secure, and user-friendly, mirroring the seamless experience users already enjoy domestically.

Toward a Truly Unified European Digital Economy

The goal of the EuroPA initiative is clear: to deliver frictionless payment experiences for European citizens, businesses, and merchants, regardless of borders. Doing so paves the way for a more digital, interoperable, and cooperative Europe.

As Ángel Nigorra highlighted, this is only the beginning:

“We want to welcome more solutions that have also shown interest in interconnection, while encouraging others to join us in creating a sovereign European payment system.”