Particle.news
Download on the App Store

ING Adds Wero Instant Payments to App as Sparkassen Retires Kwitt

The bank-led European Payments Initiative is using app integrations to scale a pan‑European, account‑to‑account alternative to US‑dominated payment networks.

Overview

  • ING activated Wero in its German banking app on August 21, making the service available to roughly 10 million retail customers.
  • Wero enables free, real‑time person‑to‑person transfers using a recipient’s phone number or email, with funds arriving in under ten seconds via SEPA Instant Payments and onboarding handled in‑app.
  • Transfers already work with users in Germany, France and Belgium, and both the sender and recipient must have activated the service.
  • Sparkassen will shut down giropay | Kwitt on August 25, finalizing its shift to Wero for mobile transfers.
  • Adoption is growing but still limited, with a Verivox/Innofact survey showing about 30% awareness, roughly 10% registered and around 4% having sent money, while Sparkassen and BW‑Bank offer €5 activation bonuses through September 14.