Europe is entering a period of recalibration, and recent global geopolitical tensions have shifted the focus to the risks of over-reliance on non-European allies. This conversation now extends well beyond energy and defence, with payments taking a lead in public discussion.
In payments, sovereignty is not an abstract political concept. Sovereignty is about who controls the rails that move money, who sets those rules, and how resilient everyday commerce is under external pressure. From my years working in fintech, it is clear that payments are one of the few areas where European sovereignty is not only possible, but already taking shape.
Payments function as an economic ‘central nervous system’, and when they depend heavily on non-European infrastructure, Europe inherits risk. However, if they are built on European rails, governed by European regulations, and adopted at scale by European businesses and consumers, sovereignty can become operational, rather than theoretical.
Payments are a foundational infrastructure
As Europe heads further into 2026, payments themselves are entering a new phase, defined by market concentration and collaboration. Where fintech innovation has previously been framed as a story of disruption and replacement, and digital payments as emerging alternatives, these methods are now beginning to take on the characteristics of foundational infrastructure.
Such as, earlier phases of digital payments innovation were marked by significant fragmentation. Instant payments existed, and although Open Banking enabled new use cases, adoption was inconsistent. As a result, new payment models struggled to scale reliably across borders or compete with established legacy options.
Now, however, those structural limitations are dissolving. As instant payments become mandatory in Europe and interoperability improves, the conditions for cross-border scale are finally in place.
This shift is most visible in the momentum behind account-to-account (A2A) payments. A2A payments leverage this new infrastructure, which enables coordinated real-time rails and broader participation across markets, to offer a credible European alternative to online payment models that have long been dominated by US-based incumbents such as Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal.
Regulation is turning potential into reality
To dive into this in more detail, while market momentum behind A2A is certainly building, it is regulation that is translating it into a more unified reality across Europe. The Instant Payments Regulation (IPR) established instant Euro transfer as a mandatory standard, embedding real-time rails directly into the fabric of the banking system. This has created a continental framework for instant liquidity, real-time settlement and A2A commerce at scale.
This regulatory shift has produced a shared baseline for speed and settlement across markets. Regulation now actively supports a unified payments layer, removing uncertainty for banks, payment providers and merchants. This, in turn, has created the conditions for A2A payments to scale consistently across markets, rather than country by country.
Where the opportunity lies with A2A
In practice, if sovereignty in payments means control, resilience and scale, then A2A payments are quickly becoming a very practical expression of it. Here are three key emerging dynamics in the market that best illustrate how A2A is already supporting a more independent Europe:
Digital business models are breaking free from cards
Digital goods and online services have long defaulted to cards because they offered the most widely accepted cross-border rails, even if that meant higher costs and reliance on non-European schemes. As SEPA Instant harmonisation improves and A2A connectivity strengthens, that dependency is lessening. When layered alongside cards and wallets, A2A payments strengthen Europe’s payments autonomy while improving settlement speed, refund flows and cost efficiency, making payment diversity a genuine commercial and strategic advantage for merchants.
Infrastructure and market structure are aligning
Alongside the more unified payments system in Europe, the ecosystem is also consolidating, with fewer, more capable A2A providers emerging that offer broader bank connectivity and pan-European reach. Industry standards are more clearly established, enabling payment providers to gain a clearer view of customer needs and product innovation opportunities. A more competitive, yet less crowded, market will only benefit merchants and consumers in the long term.
Commercial adoption is following
Structural change only matters if behaviour shifts. The UK already provides a clear proof point, with more than 13 million active Open Banking users and over 30 million A2A payments made each month. As infrastructure alignment spreads across Europe, similar dynamics are emerging elsewhere. A2A is moving from pilot to core payment strategy, strengthening both commercial performance and European control over its payment rails.
Why 2026 represents the turning point
The change in attitude we are seeing in 2026 towards sovereignty is more than just a trend - it is the next stage in the structural evolution of European payments. Driven by market demand and geopolitical necessity, Europe is entering an era of greater self-sufficiency.
Against this backdrop, it is important that existing levers for European sovereignty are not overlooked in the scramble to find new solutions. When it comes to A2A payments, it is clear that the vital combination of opportunity, momentum and infrastructure is all in place - now is the time for the ecosystem to take notice and drive adoption forward.
About the author
Lena Hackelöer is the Founder and CEO of Brite Payments, a Stockholm-headquartered fintech that utilises the Open Banking framework to offer instant payments and payouts across 26 markets in Europe. One of Sweden’s fastest-growing fintechs, Brite connects consumers and online merchants with fast, secure, and convenient account-to-account (A2A) payments. Lena is passionate about building the next generation of instant bank payments with Brite, and raised a USD 60 million Series A, the largest by a female fintech founder in 2023.
About Brite Payments
Brite Payments is an instant payments provider headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden and operating across Europe. The fast-growing fintech leverages Open Banking technology to process real-time account-to-account (A2A) payments between consumers and online merchants.
