N26 has launched Wero, the digital wallet and instant-payments solution developed by the European Payments Initiative (EP), integrated directly into the N26 app. This new feature lets customers in Germany and France send and receive money in seconds, using only a phone number or email address, so there’s no need to share or enter an IBAN.
Instant, IBAN-free transfers have been a core feature of N26 for more than ten years, helping customers across Europe navigate the fragmentation of national payment systems with near‑instant transfers. After expanding this capability over the years, bringing Wero into the mix takes the user experience a step further, opening it up to recipients outside the N26 ecosystem and broadening the reach beyond the bank’s own network.
By weaving Wero into the native transfer flow of the N26 app, customers gain access to a single, pan-European payment standard that offers a fast, secure, and independent option for everyday digital transactions. This includes the ability to send and receive funds instantly with people who do not hold an N26 account, without having to share banking details or use any external app. Supported by the SEPA Instant system and the Wero network, transfers arrive in the recipient’s bank account in under 10 seconds, at any time of day.
Daniel Lappas, Chief Product and Business Officer of N26, commented: “Instant payments that don’t require an IBAN have been a fundamental part of N26 since our inception. With Wero, we extend this experience, bringing the simplicity our customers already enjoy to many more people.”
Wero is already available to eligible N26 customers in Germany and France, and a phased rollout to additional markets is planned for the future.
