BLIK has carried out a pilot euro transfer from Spain’s Bizum payment system to a Polish bank account via phone number identification, fostering greater interoperability between European mobile payment systems.
In February 2026, the Poland-based mobile payment operator announced this test transaction. 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.
Part of Euro Peer-to-Peer Pilot
This transfer is part of BLIK’s euro peer-to-peer pilot that was initiated with European payment system partners in late 2025. The first test took place in December 2025, when a Portuguese MB WAY user sent euros to a Santander Bank Polska customer. Another transaction 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, working alongside Bizum (Spain), SIBS operating MB WAY (Portugal), Bancomat (Italy), and Vipps (Nordic countries) to facilitate instant phone-number-based transfers. The association aims to coordinate technical standards for cross-border transactions between national mobile payment schemes.
Mobile payment systems in these markets use phone number identifiers linked to bank accounts, allowing users to initiate transfers by entering recipient phone numbers instead of account details. Interoperability requires technical integration that enables different national schemes to resolve phone numbers and route payments accordingly.
The pilot transactions handle euro denomination, facilitating transfer 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 claims that completed pilots confirm the 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 broadened acceptance for Polish users traveling abroad. The system operates at international payment terminals through contactless Android device payments with iOS support planned. International e-commerce merchants accept BLIK via 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 e-commerce sites using their domestic payment method.
