Bancontact is Belgium’s own payment brand. Belgians use it on their debit cards in shops, online and through a mobile app, and many look for it before anything else at checkout.
This guide explains what Bancontact is, the difference between Bancontact cards and the Bancontact Pay app, what changed when Payconiq was renamed in 2026, where Wero fits in, and how merchants can accept Bancontact.
Key takeaways
- Bancontact is Belgium’s domestic debit scheme. Most Belgian bank cards carry it, often together with an international brand.
- Online, customers pay with their Bancontact card details or by approving the payment in a banking or payment app.
- In March 2026, the Payconiq by Bancontact app was renamed Bancontact Pay, with the same functions.
- Bancontact Company is also offering Wero to former Payconiq merchants, with QR codes in shops that accept both.
- Payments are in euros. Dispute rules for Bancontact differ from Visa and Mastercard, so ask your provider how disputes and refunds work.
What is Bancontact?
Bancontact is the national debit payment brand in Belgium, run by Bancontact Payconiq Company, which was formed in 2018 when Bancontact and Payconiq Belgium merged and is backed by major Belgian banks. A Belgian bank card usually works as a Bancontact card for domestic payments and often also carries an international scheme, such as Maestro, Debit Mastercard or Visa Debit, for use abroad.
Bancontact is used for payments in shops, online, in apps and between people. For merchants selling to Belgian customers, it is one of the methods customers most expect to see.
Bancontact cards and Bancontact Pay
Bancontact card payments
Online, the customer chooses Bancontact and enters their card details or is passed to their bank to authenticate the payment. In shops, they pay with the card on a terminal.
Bancontact Pay (formerly Payconiq by Bancontact)
The Payconiq by Bancontact app was renamed Bancontact Pay in March 2026. Bancontact Company says the app keeps the same functions, such as QR payments. Customers scan a QR code at checkout, or approve a payment request in the app, and confirm it there.
Where Wero fits
Wero, the European Payments Initiative’s wallet, is also coming to Belgium. Bancontact Company is offering Wero to former Payconiq merchants, and the new in-store QR stickers accept both Bancontact Pay and Wero payments. Bancontact itself isn’t being replaced. See our guide to Wero for more.
If you have your own integration with the old Payconiq system, ask your payment provider whether anything changes on your side.
How a Bancontact payment works online
- The customer chooses Bancontact at checkout.
- They enter their Bancontact card details, or scan a QR code or open an app on their phone.
- They authenticate the payment with their bank or in the app.
- The merchant receives confirmation, and the payment is settled by the payment provider along with other payments.
Refunds and disputes
- Refunds are made by the merchant through the payment provider.
- Disputes work differently from Visa and Mastercard chargebacks. Bancontact has its own rules, and the details depend on your provider. Ask how disputes are raised, how long customers have, and how you’ll be told.
- Clear descriptors and quick refunds prevent most complaints, as with any method. Our guide to preventing chargebacks covers the basics.
Recurring payments
Bancontact is mainly used for one-off payments. For subscriptions, merchants usually take the first payment with Bancontact and use cards or SEPA Direct Debit for later charges, depending on what their provider supports. Read our guide to recurring billing for more.
Why merchants offer Bancontact
- Belgian customers expect it. Many will leave a checkout that doesn’t offer it.
- Familiar and trusted. Customers pay with the card or app they already use every day.
- Works online and in shops, including QR payments on mobile.
- Strong authentication built in through the customer’s bank or app.
The trade-offs: Bancontact covers Belgian customers, works in euros only, and isn’t built for recurring billing on its own.
How to accept Bancontact
- Choose a payment provider that supports Bancontact cards and, if you want them, Bancontact Pay QR payments and Wero.
- Complete the provider’s onboarding.
- Add Bancontact to your checkout through the provider’s plugin, hosted payment page or API.
- Test the full flow on a phone and on a computer.
- Ask how refunds and disputes are handled for Bancontact.
Bancontact is one of several local methods worth offering across Europe. Our guide to local payment methods in Europe covers the others, including iDEAL in the Netherlands.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bancontact?
Bancontact is Belgium’s domestic debit payment brand. Belgians use it on their bank cards and through apps to pay in shops, online and between people.
What is a Bancontact card?
A Bancontact card is a Belgian debit card that works on the Bancontact scheme for domestic payments. Many also carry an international brand, such as Maestro, Debit Mastercard or Visa Debit, for payments abroad.
What happened to Payconiq by Bancontact?
The Payconiq by Bancontact app was renamed Bancontact Pay in March 2026. It keeps the same functions, such as QR payments.
Is Bancontact being replaced by Wero?
No. Bancontact continues, and Bancontact Company is offering Wero alongside Bancontact Pay to merchants, with QR codes that accept both.
Can Bancontact be used for subscriptions?
Bancontact is mainly for one-off payments. Subscriptions usually use cards or SEPA Direct Debit for the recurring charges.
What currency does Bancontact use?
Bancontact payments are in euros.
Can a business outside Belgium accept Bancontact?
Yes, through a payment provider that supports Bancontact. Your customers need a Belgian Bancontact card or app.
Next step
If you sell to Belgian customers, Bancontact belongs in your checkout alongside cards. Fasto works with adult, subscription, nutraceutical, gaming, dating and hospitality merchants, and we confirm which payment methods are available for your business type when you apply. Approval typically takes two to three weeks.
Get a free quote and tell us which markets you sell to.
