BLIK has completed a pilot euro transfer from Spain's Bizum payment system to a Polish bank account using phone number identification, advancing interoperability between European mobile payment systems.
The Poland-based mobile payment operator announced the test transaction in February 2026. A Bizum user in Spain sent euros to a BLIK user at PKO Bank Polski through the bank's IKO application, using only the recipient's phone number.
The transfer forms part of BLIK's euro peer-to-peer pilot initiated in late 2025 with European payment system partners. The first test occurred in December 2025, when a Portuguese MB WAY user sent euros to a Santander Bank Polska customer. A separate transaction demonstrated at Web Summit 2025 in Lisbon involved an MB WAY transfer to a PKO Bank Polski account.
EuroPA association coordinates interoperability development
BLIK joined the European Payment Associations (EuroPA) in 2025, collaborating with Bizum (Spain), SIBS operating MB WAY (Portugal), Bancomat (Italy), and Vipps (Nordic countries) on instant phone-number-based transfers. The association coordinates technical standards enabling cross-border transactions between national mobile payment schemes.
Mobile payment systems in these markets operate through phone number identifiers linked to bank accounts. Users initiate transfers by entering recipient phone numbers rather than account details. Interoperability requires technical integration enabling systems to resolve phone numbers across different national schemes and route payments accordingly.
The pilot transactions use euro denomination, allowing transfers between eurozone countries without currency conversion. Poland operates outside the eurozone, using the zloty as its official currency, though Polish banks can hold euro-denominated accounts for international transactions.
Technical readiness confirmed through pilot phase
BLIK states that completed pilots confirm technical capability to execute cross-border phone-number transfers in production environments. The systems demonstrate functionality for account identification, payment routing, and settlement across different national infrastructures.
BLIK has expanded acceptance for Polish users travelling abroad. The system operates at international payment terminals through contactless Android device payments, with iOS support planned. International e-commerce merchants accept BLIK through payment service providers including Adyen, Boku, Nuvei, PayU, PPRO, Stripe, Viva Wallet, and Worldline.
Platforms accepting BLIK for international transactions include AliExpress, Booking, Google Play, Temu, and Vinted. These integrations enable Polish users to complete purchases on foreign ecommerce sites using their domestic payment method.
The European Payments Initiative, a separate consortium of European banks, is developing a unified payment solution called Wero for instant transfers and payments across Europe. Wero launched in Germany, France, and Belgium in 2024, with expansion to additional markets planned.
EuroPA member systems collectively processed billions of transactions in 2024, representing significant volumes of domestic person-to-person and merchant payments across participating markets.
