Bancontact: how Belgium's main payment method works for merchants

What is Bancontact and who uses it?

This page explains how Bancontact works for merchants based in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Poland or elsewhere who sell to Belgian customers: the payment flows, refunds, how it compares with other methods and what changes with Bancontact Pay and Wero.

Bancontact is the debit scheme run by Belgian banks, and it is used by Belgian account holders in shops, online and between friends. Most Belgian current accounts come with a Bancontact card, which is often co-badged with an international debit brand for use abroad.

The scheme is operated by Bancontact Company, formerly Bancontact Payconiq Company. In 2026 the company changed its name and renamed its consumer app from Payconiq by Bancontact to Bancontact Pay (source: Bancontact Company press room, bancontact-company.prezly.com).

For a merchant, the important point is who can pay: only shoppers with a card or app linked to a Belgian bank account. The restriction sits on the payer side, not the merchant side.

How does a Bancontact payment work online?

A Bancontact payment online is either card entry with bank authentication or an app payment by QR code or deep link. Both flows end with a real-time result that your payment provider passes to your system.

Test the mobile path carefully. The switch from the browser to the app and back to your order confirmation is where most app payments fail.

Bancontact card payment online

Card flow

1. Select. The shopper selects Bancontact at checkout and the payment is created in euro with your order reference.
2. Enter card. The shopper enters the card number and expiry date.
3. Authenticate. The bank asks for strong customer authentication, usually a confirmation in the banking app.
4. Confirm. Bancontact returns success or failure, and your provider notifies your system, typically by webhook.
5. Payout. The amount is paid out on your provider's normal cycle.

Bancontact app payment online

App flow

1. Select. The shopper selects Bancontact at checkout.
2. Open app. On desktop, a QR code is shown; on mobile, a button opens the Bancontact Pay app or a Belgian banking app.
3. Approve. The shopper scans the code or confirms in the app with PIN or biometrics.
4. Confirm. The result comes back in real time and your provider notifies your system.
5. Return. The shopper returns to your shop through the return URL.

Is Bancontact safe for shoppers and merchants?

Yes. Every Bancontact payment is confirmed by the shopper with strong customer authentication, as required under PSD2, so the shopper's bank verifies each payment.

For merchants, the practical difference from international cards is how disputes are handled. How a shopper's request for money back is handled, and whether a refund is the route, depends on your setup; check with your provider before you plan your returns process around it.

How do Bancontact refunds work?

You refund a Bancontact payment through your payment provider's dashboard or API, in full or in part. The money goes back to the shopper's Belgian account as a separate credit.

EU consumer law applies as usual, including the 14-day right of withdrawal for distance sales.

Points to check with your provider:

• How long after the original payment a refund is still possible.
• Whether partial and multiple partial refunds are supported through the API.
• How the refund appears on the shopper's bank statement. If it is not clearly labelled, send the shopper a refund notification.

Bancontact vs Maestro, Visa/Mastercard debit and iDEAL: which to offer?

For Belgian shoppers, offer Bancontact first; it is the brand they recognise at checkout. A co-badged international debit card can reach the same account, but shoppers tend to look for the Bancontact option. iDEAL is the Dutch equivalent and does not work for Belgian accounts.

Fees differ by provider and contract, so the table does not list them. Ask your provider for current Bancontact pricing in writing.

Can a merchant outside Belgium accept Bancontact?

Yes. A merchant outside Belgium can offer Bancontact through a payment provider or acquirer that supports Bancontact. Whether you need a Belgian entity depends on the provider; check with your provider for your country and business type.

Three things affect results once the method is live:

• Language. Flanders is Dutch-speaking, Wallonia French-speaking and Brussels bilingual. Checkout pages, emails and refund notices should exist in Dutch and French.
• Placement. Show Bancontact prominently for shoppers with a Belgian address.
• Mobile. The app button and the return to your shop must work in mobile browsers.

Before launch, ask your provider

Before launch, ask your provider:

• Are the card form, the QR code and the mobile deep link all supported?
• How are abandoned app payments and session timeouts handled?
• Are partial refunds available through the API?
• Can a first Bancontact payment set up a SEPA Direct Debit mandate for subscriptions?

Bancontact and PayPal: can they be used together?

Bancontact and PayPal are separate payment methods, and a merchant can offer both at the same checkout. Whether a shopper can link a Bancontact card inside a PayPal wallet depends on PayPal's own rules for Belgian accounts, so check PayPal's current help pages for that question.

For a merchant the practical answer is to show both options to Belgian shoppers and measure which one they choose.

What changes with Bancontact Pay, Payconiq and Wero?

The Payconiq brand is being retired in Belgium, and Wero runs next to Bancontact rather than replacing it. Technically, online Bancontact acceptance stays the same for merchants.

See the Wero page for the rollout status by country.

• Bancontact Pay. The consumer app Payconiq by Bancontact was renamed Bancontact Pay in 2026 (source: Bancontact Company press room).
• Wero. Wero is the wallet of the European Payments Initiative (EPI). EPI announced the launch of Wero for e-commerce in Belgium in March 2026 (source: EPI, "Wero announces launch e-commerce in Belgium").
• Bancontact and Wero together. We have not found an announced plan to migrate Bancontact onto Wero, unlike iDEAL in the Netherlands. Merchants selling to Belgium should plan for both methods and watch announcements from Bancontact Company and EPI.

How do you add Bancontact through OrsunPay?

OrsunPay is payment orchestration software: it lets you show Bancontact next to your other methods in one checkout, using provider accounts that support Bancontact. OrsunPay is a payment orchestration platform that connects you to licensed PSPs; it does not process or hold funds itself.

• Bancontact is enabled on a payment provider account you hold. OrsunPay connects you to licensed PSPs and acquirers.
• It appears in hosted checkout and payment links for Belgian shoppers.
• You choose which provider connection handles Belgian payments, and routing rules apply that choice.
• Pricing, payouts and refund windows are set by your provider.