European Alternatives to Visa & Mastercard

There is no European credit card that replaces Visa and Mastercard everywhere today. What exists are European payment systems that work from the bank account instead of a card: Wero (EPI), iDEAL, Bancontact, TWINT, Swish, Bizum, MB WAY, Blik, Satispay and Vipps MobilePay. They cover everyday payments in their home countries, online and increasingly in shops, but they do not yet work worldwide. This page lists these ten systems and explains what they can replace, where Visa and Mastercard remain necessary, and what the European initiatives and the digital euro are doing about it.

European payment systems at a glance

System	Home market	Typical use
Wero	Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands (via iDEAL)	Wallet of the European Payments Initiative: transfers between people, online payments
iDEAL	Netherlands	Online payment via the own bank
Bancontact	Belgium	Belgian payment method for shops and online
TWINT	Switzerland	Swiss payment app
Swish	Sweden	Swedish mobile payment
Bizum	Spain	Spanish mobile payment between accounts
MB WAY	Portugal	Portuguese payment app
Blik	Poland	Polish mobile payment
Satispay	Italy	Payment app that debits the bank account
Vipps MobilePay	Norway, Denmark, Finland	Nordic mobile wallet

What European payment systems can do

All of them move money directly between bank accounts or from the account to a merchant, without a card network in between. In their home country they are often the default at checkout, and several also work in shops by QR code or app. Anyone living in one of these markets can often pay online without a Visa or Mastercard card at all. Which merchants accept which system depends on the shop, so look at the checkout page first.

What they cannot replace yet

• Online shops abroad that only accept cards. A Dutch consumer can pay with iDEAL at Dutch shops, but a Spanish or American shop will usually ask for a card.
• Travel outside Europe. Local systems work only where they are accepted.
• Deposits and pre-authorisations. Hotels and car rental companies usually require a credit card.
• Global platforms and subscriptions. Many accept cards and a few wallets, but rarely European bank-based systems.

Wero and the European Payments Initiative

The European Payments Initiative (EPI) is backed by European banks and payment providers and runs Wero. Wero started in 2024 with transfers between people and now reaches Belgium, France, Germany and Luxembourg. According to EPI, online payments are live in Germany since November 2025, while Belgium and Luxembourg already offer the full range including in-store payments (EPI, 29 September 2026). In the Netherlands iDEAL is being moved to Wero in phases, and EPI has announced a start in Austria for 2027.

In February 2026 EPI signed an agreement with the national systems Bizum, MB WAY, Vipps MobilePay and an Italian provider to link their systems. On 29 September 2026 the partners announced a joint entity, the European Network for Payments, headquartered in Madrid. Cross-border transfers between people come first, e-commerce and in-store payments follow later. For now, a Bizum user cannot yet pay at a Dutch checkout.

National card schemes as context

Besides Visa and Mastercard there are national card schemes such as the German girocard, French Cartes Bancaires, Danish Dankort and Belgian Bancontact. According to an ECB report from February 2025, only nine national schemes are still active in the EU, each in one country. 13 of 20 euro area countries rely entirely on international schemes, which processed about 61 percent of euro area card payments in 2022. National schemes work only at home. For use abroad or online, a German girocard needs a co-badge with Visa or Mastercard, which is why the card in the wallet often still runs on a US network.

What about the digital euro?

The digital euro is a planned digital form of central bank money for the euro area, intended to work online and offline. The ECB closed its preparation phase in October 2025. If EU lawmakers adopt the regulation in 2026, a 12-month pilot is planned from the second half of 2027 and a first issuance could follow in 2029. On 9 July 2026 the European Parliament voted by 416 to 169 to start negotiations with the Council. The ECB will only decide on issuing a digital euro once the law is adopted, so it cannot be used today.

Cards from European banks and neobanks

A card from a European bank or neobank is not automatically a European payment system. The issuer is European, but the card usually runs on the Visa or Mastercard network. The logo on the card shows which network is behind it.

Practical tips

• Use the local system at home where the shop offers it, for example iDEAL in the Netherlands or Bizum in Spain.
• Check whether a foreign shop accepts Wero, as acceptance is growing in Germany.
• Keep one credit card for travel, deposits and shops that only take cards.

FAQ

Is there a European alternative to Visa and Mastercard?

Not as a single worldwide card scheme. There are national systems and the Wero network, which together cover many everyday uses in Europe but not every case abroad.

Can I pay with Wero in other countries?

Within the countries where Wero is live. Linking with Bizum, MB WAY and Vipps MobilePay is planned, starting with transfers between people.

Will the digital euro replace Visa and Mastercard?

It is designed as an additional means of payment, not a replacement, and is not available yet.

What happens to iDEAL?

EPI says iDEAL continues to work as usual during the move to Wero and that the checkout flow stays familiar.

Is a European credit card available?

Cards from European banks exist, but they run on Visa or Mastercard. A European credit card network does not exist yet.