ING Expands Wero to Online Shopping in Germany as European Payment Method Moves Beyond Person-to-Person Transfers

ING Expands Wero to Online Shopping in Germany as European Payment Method Moves Beyond Person-to-Person Transfers

(IN BRIEF) ING customers in Germany can now use Wero for online shopping at participating retailers, marking a new stage in the rollout of the European payment method beyond person-to-person transfers. Wero allows customers to pay directly from their current account, with transactions usually completed within 10 seconds and aligned with European data protection and regulatory standards. Developed by the European Payments Initiative, the service is part of a broader effort to build an independent European payment infrastructure. ING is introducing Wero in phases across Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, with Belgium already live and the Netherlands scheduled to follow in the fourth quarter of 2026. In Germany, Wero has been available in the ING app since August 2025, and around 600,000 ING customers have already activated it for person-to-person payments. ING has also simplified onboarding by integrating Wero’s terms into current account terms, while the next step will be to bring Wero to point-of-sale payments in local shops.

(PRESS RELEASE) AMSTERDAM, 4-Jun-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Wero has expanded into online shopping in Germany, allowing ING customers to use the European payment method when making purchases at participating online retailers. The move marks the next stage in ING’s rollout of Wero and broadens the service beyond person-to-person transfers into everyday e-commerce payments.

ING customers in Germany can now select Wero as a payment option at supported online shops and pay directly from their current account. The solution enables account-to-account payments without requiring intermediary wallets or international payment service providers, offering customers another digital payment choice within their regular banking environment.

Wero is developed by the European Payments Initiative, a consortium of major European banks and payment service providers working to create an independent European payment infrastructure. Transactions are typically completed within 10 seconds and are designed to follow European data protection and regulatory standards.

ING is introducing Wero through a phased rollout across its three retail banking markets of Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. Belgium was the first ING market to go live with Wero in 2024 and added the e-commerce payment solution earlier this year. In the Netherlands, Wero is scheduled to launch in the fourth quarter of 2026.

In Germany, Wero has been available in the ING app since August 2025, initially supporting real-time account-to-account transfers between individuals. With the addition of online shopping payments, the service is moving further into daily digital payment use and becoming part of ING customers’ broader current account functionality.

Burcu Civelek Yüce, Head of Private Individuals at ING Germany, said Wero is a central part of the current account because it gives customers greater freedom of choice in everyday payment transactions. She noted that around 600,000 ING customers in Germany have already activated Wero for person-to-person payments, representing about 15 percent of the bank’s current account holders and one of the highest activation rates in the German market.

To support the next phase of adoption, ING Germany has also simplified onboarding for Wero. The product terms and conditions for the payment method have now been integrated into the general terms and conditions for current accounts. As a result, customers automatically consent to using Wero when opening an account, making activation quicker and easier.

The next planned development in Germany is the introduction of Wero at the point of sale, which would allow ING customers to use the payment method in local shops as well as online. This would further expand Wero’s role from person-to-person transfers and e-commerce payments into in-store transactions.

Media Contact: 

Peter Gurney
Press officer Retail Banking, financial communications, risk management
+ 31 6 1930 1316
Peter.Gurney@ing.com

SOURCE: ING