The future of iDEAL is taking shape: the European payment method Wero is ready to take over. An official timeline for the transition has now been communicated. What exactly is Wero, what can you expect and when, and what does this mean for you as a WordPress user? We’ll discuss the latest developments.
What is Wero?
Wero is an initiative of the European Payments Initiative (EPI) and is presented as the new, unified payment platform for all of Europe. It combines various payment methods into a single solution:
- Peer-to-peer payments: Transferring money to friends via a mobile number, similar to Tikkie or a payment request.
- Online payments: Paying in webshops, just as you do now with iDEAL.
- In-store payments: Paying in physical stores with your phone, as an alternative to a debit card.
Sixteen major European banks, including the Dutch banks ING, Rabobank, and ABN AMRO, are affiliated with the EPI.
The current state of Wero and iDEAL
Wero is currently available in Germany, France, and Belgium, but its functionality there is still limited to peer-to-peer (P2P) payments. The expectation is that online payments will be added there shortly.
For the Netherlands, the switch is simpler because Wero builds on the technical infrastructure of iDEAL 2.0. In practice, the name ‘iDEAL’ will mainly disappear and be replaced by ‘Wero’, while the familiar payment experience will largely remain the same.
From iDEAL to Wero in 2 phases
The transition from iDEAL to Wero will be rolled out in the Netherlands in two phases, as described on the Wero website.
Phase 1: Co-branding and technical migration (early 2026)
Starting in early 2026, you will see a combined logo on payment pages: “iDEAL | Wero”. This logo can already be seen on ideal.nl. Behind the scenes, payment providers will begin the technical migration, gradually transferring iDEAL transactions to the Wero platform.
For you as an entrepreneur and for your customers, nothing noticeable will change during this phase. The payment experience will remain identical, and you can continue to use your current payment provider.
Phase 2: Full rollout of Wero (end of 2026)
From the end of 2026, the combined logo will be replaced by the Wero logo alone. From this point on, new features will also be gradually added, such as support for subscriptions, ‘Buy Now Pay Later’, refunds, and international payments.
This opens the door for you as an entrepreneur to simpler international trade, as customers throughout Europe can pay using the same method.
What does Wero mean for your WordPress website?
As soon as Wero fully supports the online payment functions of iDEAL, it will become available in WordPress, WooCommerce, and other e-commerce plugins.
At Pronamic, we are closely following the developments of Wero. Because Wero relies heavily on the technical foundation of iDEAL 2.0, we expect the integration into the Pronamic Pay plugin to be a smooth process. As soon as it is possible, we will ensure that you can offer Wero to your customers.
Conclusion
The transition from iDEAL to Wero is a gradual process that will only become truly visible to you and your customers in 2026. You do not need to take any action at this moment. We are keeping a close eye on the developments and will ensure that Pronamic Pay is ready for the future. We will, of course, share any important news with you as soon as it becomes available.
