Wero Enters Physical Retail via QR Code, NFC Deferred to 2027

NFC-based contactless checkout for Wero has been deferred to 2027, with the scheme's physical retail entry now dependent on QR-code solutions requiring no specialized hardware. Merchant momentum is building through major retailer integrations and EPI-funded activation campaigns.

ZIIB activated Wero at the point of sale through its Pay with ME platform in early August 2026. The integration makes ZIIB the first provider to bring the European payment scheme to physical checkout. The QR-based system targets more than 11,000 acceptance points across Germany and Austria. Belgium and France are planned for later in 2026.

The QR-first approach addresses a timing gap in Wero's POS roadmap. EPI originally planned NFC contactless payments at high-frequency retail locations for 2026. That timeline has shifted to 2027. ZIIB's white-label model requires no additional payment hardware beyond an existing display screen. This reduces deployment costs for vending machines, self-service car washes, and parking systems.

Merchant integration is accelerating on the e-commerce side. Decathlon activated Wero on decathlon.de on July 20, 2026. Germany is the first market in Decathlon's international footprint to offer the payment option. The retailer is preparing technical integration across roughly 110 German stores. EPI is co-funding an October activation campaign offering EUR 10 vouchers to customers who pay with Wero at Decathlon. The registered user base has grown to approximately 56 million across Europe.