what is Wero, the service that replaces it (and wants to compete with Apple Pay)?

Launched in October 2024, Wero aims to replace Paylib, but implementation will not be effective everywhere at the same time.

Do you use Paylib, this instant transfer service which was intended to be a competitor to Apple Pay and Google Pay? This will soon be replaced. EPI, a European payments initiative, is currently deploying Wero, which is an evolution of Paylib, but with the same purpose.

Concretely, thanks to a simple telephone number, it will be possible to send money to loved ones, provided that their bank supports this service. If you are already registered with Paylib – this is the case for 35 million French people – this will ultimately not change much at first, and it will be done without interruption of service. Your Paylib account will automatically switch to the Wero brand.

A European service deployed “gradually”

Because not all banks will switch to Wero from October: “Paylib will remain usable for several more weeks, while Wero is deployed in France, there will be a handover between the two solutions,” explains Claire Richard-Hulin, communications director for Paylib at RMC Conso, who promises “a gradual migration”.

With its 15 million active users, Paylib has managed to find a place against other behemoths in the mobile payment market, such as Google Pay and Apple Pay. But above all, Wero wants to do more than his French elder. Especially since Wero has the advantage of being a European system, already available in Germany and Belgium, and you can therefore make intra-European transfers without problem.

Here is the list of banks affected, as well as Wero support dates:

• BNP Paribas (October 24, 2024)
• Groupe BPCE (from September 2 to October 2, 2024)
• Crédit Agricole (September 26, 2024)
• Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale: from September 25 to November 6, 2024)
• Crédit Mutuel Arkéa (January 2025)
• La Banque Postale (October 28, 2024)
• Société Générale (from October 24, 2024)

In the course of 2025, Wero therefore aims to move from a simple system of “payments between friends” to a real payment solution online or in physical stores, thus competing with Apple Pay and Google Play. In 2026, it will be the turn of QR Codes that we can use to send or receive a payment.