Online payment solutions for Belgian businesses — complete guide 2026

In brief

In Belgium, the main online payment solutions for businesses are Bancontact (essential for B2C), SEPA bank transfers with structured communication OGM (indispensable in B2B for automatic reconciliation), payment links and SEPA direct debit. Choosing a payment service provider (PSP) should consider Bancontact integration, settlement timelines and compatibility with your invoicing software.

The online payment landscape in Belgium

Belgium has a mature and distinctive payment ecosystem. Unlike many European countries where credit cards dominate, the Belgian market is largely structured around Bancontact — the local debit scheme created in 1979, present on virtually all Belgian bank cards. Any online payment solution aimed at Belgian customers must integrate Bancontact to maximise conversion rates.

Understanding this landscape is essential before choosing a payment service provider (PSP) or integrating a payment gateway into your e-commerce site or invoicing process.

The main payment methods

Bancontact and Payconiq by Bancontact

Bancontact is the most widely used electronic payment method in Belgium for online purchases. It works as a direct debit from the payer's bank account, via their bank's app or via a QR code. Payconiq by Bancontact is the mobile application that unifies QR payments, peer-to-peer payments and in-store payments under a single brand. In B2C, not offering Bancontact is a major barrier to conversion.

International credit and debit cards

Visa, Mastercard and Maestro cover international customers and a portion of Belgian customers. Maestro (Mastercard debit) was dominant in Belgium but is gradually being replaced by co-branded Bancontact/Mastercard cards. Accepting international cards is essential for B2B shops or foreign customers.

SEPA bank transfer with structured communication

The SEPA bank transfer remains essential in Belgian B2B, particularly for high-value invoices. Its effectiveness rests on the structured communication (OGM-VCS: Overschrijving met Gestructureerde Mededeling / Virement avec Communication Structurée). This algorithmically generated 12-digit reference (modulo 97) enables automatic payment identification without human intervention: your accounting or invoicing system can reconcile the payment on receipt, without having to search for which client paid which invoice.

For automatic reconciliation, see our guide on CODA bank reconciliation with Belfius, ING and Belgian SMEs.

Payment links and QR payments

Payment links allow you to send a clickable link by email or SMS that takes the client directly to a pre-filled payment page. Ideal for quotes, deposits and situations where you have no e-commerce shop. QR payments offer the same experience for physical points of sale or events.

SEPA direct debit (recurring payments)

SEPA direct debit (SDD Core for individuals, SDD B2B for businesses) allows you to automatically debit the client's account on a fixed date. Ideal for subscriptions, maintenance contracts and recurring payments. SDD B2B provides stronger guarantees than SDD Core: no right of refund for the debtor once the debit is executed.

BNPL and instalment payments

Buy Now Pay Later solutions (Klarna, Alma, Riverty) are gaining ground in Belgian B2C and starting to appear in B2B for small businesses. They allow you to offer payment terms without bearing the credit risk yourself. Worth considering if your average order value exceeds € 200 and you target consumers.

PSPs and payment gateways: what to compare

A payment service provider (PSP) manages the entire payment flow: collection, processing, settlement to your account. A payment gateway is the technical interface between your site and the payment networks — often provided by the PSP.

Criteria to compare between PSPs:

• Transaction fees: percentage + fixed amount per transaction, differentiated by payment method

• Settlement time (payout): T+1, T+2, weekly — direct impact on your cash flow

• Supported methods: explicitly verify Bancontact and SEPA transfers

• Integration ease: REST API, WooCommerce/Shopify/Magento plugins, mobile SDK

• Dashboard and exports: accounting reconciliation, CSV/MT940/CODA export

• Dispute support: chargebacks, contestations, refunds

PSD2 and strong customer authentication (SCA)

The European PSD2 directive (being revised in 2026 toward PSD3) requires strong customer authentication (SCA) for online payments. In practice, this means the payer must authenticate with at least two factors: something they know (PIN), something they have (phone), something they are (biometrics). For you as a merchant, this translates into integrating the 3D Secure 2 (3DS2) protocol into your payment flow — your PSP generally handles this automatically.

SCA exemptions allow you to avoid friction for low-risk transactions, small amounts and merchant-initiated recurring payments. A well-configured PSP applies these exemptions to maximise conversion while remaining compliant.

Online payments and invoicing: the crucial link

Online payment is not just a technology matter — it is an accounting process. The structured communication OGM-VCS is the link between the incoming bank transfer and the corresponding invoice in your system. Without it, every incoming transfer requires manual intervention to identify the debtor.

For more on electronic invoicing in Belgium, including the Peppol obligation for Belgian SMEs from 2026 and the full legal framework for invoicing and invoice archiving for Belgian clients, those articles cover the foundations in detail.

Company Belgium's invoicing module automatically generates the OGM structured communication for each invoice, integrates Bancontact and SEPA payment links into invoices sent by email, and auto-reconciles payments on receipt of your bank's CODA file. Result: zero manual entry for transfer-based payments.

Choosing your online payment solution: a practical framework

Your choice of payment solution depends on your business model:

• B2C e-commerce: Bancontact mandatory, PSP with native Bancontact integration (Mollie, Stripe with Bancontact, MultiSafepay, Buckaroo)

• B2B invoicing: SEPA transfer with OGM + payment links for faster collection

• Subscriptions and SaaS: SEPA SDD B2B or card-recurring payments via PSP

• International e-commerce: PSP with broad method coverage + local alternatives

Online payment options in Belgium have evolved significantly: online payments in a webshop are now accessible even to the smallest SME through simple PSP integrations. If you also want to understand VAT aspects of online sales, see our article on the VAT exemption scheme and the € 25,000 threshold in Belgium.

Checklist for choosing your payment solution

Before signing with a PSP, verify these points:

Bancontact is included in the standard offer (not as a paid option)

Settlement is fast: T+1 or T+2 to protect cash flow

CODA or MT940 exports are available for your accounting software

The OGM structured communication can be passed to the PSP as a payment reference

3DS2 is natively managed by the gateway

Fees are transparent: no hidden fees on refunds or currencies