iDEAL by the Numbers
Launched in 2005, iDEAL is the dominant online payment method in the Netherlands, handling more than 70 percent of all Dutch e-commerce transactions. By 2023, iDEAL processed over 1.3 billion transactions, and volumes have continued to grow steadily year after year.
Unlike card-based systems, iDEAL is a bank-to-bank payment scheme. Consumers pay directly from their online banking environment, and all major Dutch banks support the method. This near-universal coverage has made iDEAL the default choice for most online purchases in the country and one of the top local payment methods to consider.
Beyond e-commerce, iDEAL is now used for recurring payments such as subscriptions, as well as for peer-to-peer transfers through mobile banking apps.
Innovation at iDEAL
iDEAL’s biggest strength lies in simplicity and trust. Consumers complete payments inside their own bank’s secure environment, typically using two-factor authentication or biometric login. This gives customers confidence while keeping fraud risks low.
In recent years, iDEAL has continued to evolve with:
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Recurring payment support for subscriptions and memberships
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Refund capabilities that allow merchants to handle returns efficiently
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Cross-border compatibility, with limited but growing support in neighboring markets
These features have kept iDEAL competitive even as newer digital wallets and instant payment systems emerge.
Roadmap and the Wero Transition
In 2023, the European Payments Initiative (EPI) acquired iDEAL with the goal of integrating it into Wero, Europe’s unified digital wallet. This transition will take place gradually over the coming years.
For merchants, this means iDEAL remains active and necessary in the near term, especially for Dutch customers, but Wero will eventually take its place as the broader European alternative. The overlap creates an opportunity to adopt iDEAL now while preparing for the shift to Wero.
Where iDEAL Works
iDEAL is most powerful in the Netherlands but it also sees some use cross-border.
| Country | Adoption |
|---|---|
| Netherlands | 70%+ of all e-commerce transactions |
| Belgium | Growing usage through Dutch banks and cross-border shopping |
| Germany | Limited cross-border support through partnerships |
While its dominance is local today, integration into Wero will expand iDEAL’s reach across Europe in the future.
Why Merchants Should Care
Market dominance in the Netherlands
Any merchant targeting the Dutch market must offer iDEAL. Without it, cart abandonment rises quickly because consumers overwhelmingly prefer it over card payments.
Higher approval rates
iDEAL transactions move directly between banks. This avoids many of the weak points of card-based payments and results in higher approval rates and fewer lost sales.
Reduced fraud and chargebacks
Because consumers authorize each payment inside their own banking environment, fraud is minimal and chargebacks are rare. This makes iDEAL a stable and low-risk payment method for merchants.
Support for recurring billing
iDEAL supports recurring payments, making it a strong option for subscription businesses, digital services, and SaaS models that serve Dutch customers.
iDEAL vs Klarna vs Wero
Each of these local payment methods plays an important role in Europe, but they differ in coverage, features, and strategic direction.
| Feature | iDEAL (Netherlands) | Klarna (Europe + USA) | Wero (EPI, new wallet) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Use Case | Bank-to-bank checkout in NL | BNPL, installments, Pay Now, Pay Later | Instant A2A transfers, future EU wallet |
| Adoption | 70%+ of Dutch e-commerce | 150m+ global users, 2m+ transactions daily | 14m users, 8m transactions (2024) |
| Recurring Support | Yes, for subscriptions | Yes, strong BNPL and recurring options | Planned, on roadmap for 2026 |
| Fraud & Chargebacks | Very low | Low but higher than iDEAL (BNPL risk) | Low, account-to-account transfers |
| Geographic Reach | Netherlands (with limited BE/DE) | 26 European countries plus strong USA presence | Germany, France, Belgium, expanding in 2025 |
| Future Outlook | To be merged into Wero | Continued BNPL growth and IPO expansion | Growing to pan-European wallet |
What it means for merchants
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iDEAL is non-negotiable for Dutch customers today.
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Klarna gives merchants reach across Europe and the USA, with high conversion BNPL products.
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Wero is positioned as Europe’s future wallet, backed by major banks, with recurring billing and loyalty features in the roadmap.
With Fasto, merchants can support all three and optimize for both current demand and future growth.
How Fasto Helps
Fasto enables merchants to integrate iDEAL alongside other leading local payment methods, including Klarna, Wero, Bizum, Swish, and Pix. With one integration you can serve Dutch customers with their preferred local payment method.
Fasto adds extra value through fraud monitoring, chargeback protection, recurring billing support, and approval optimization tools such as smart retries and BIN-level routing. This ensures iDEAL is not just available but fully optimized for performance inside your wider payment stack.
What is iDEAL?
iDEAL is a Dutch online payment method that enables consumers to make direct bank-to-bank transfers through their own banking environment. Instead of using cards, customers authenticate the payment directly in their online banking app or portal.
Because it is supported by every major Dutch bank, iDEAL has become the default choice for most e-commerce purchases in the Netherlands and is trusted by millions of consumers.
Is iDEAL secure?
Yes. iDEAL is considered one of the most secure payment methods available in Europe. Every transaction is authorized in the consumer’s banking environment, typically requiring two-factor authentication, mobile verification, or biometric login such as Face ID or fingerprint.
This eliminates many of the weak points of card-based payments. As a result, fraud levels are extremely low, and merchants benefit from far fewer chargebacks compared to traditional card transactions.
Can iDEAL handle recurring payments?
Yes. iDEAL has added support for recurring transactions, making it well-suited for subscriptions, memberships, and SaaS businesses. Consumers authorize the initial payment within their banking app, and subsequent payments can be processed with minimal friction.
This ensures merchants can build reliable long-term billing flows while customers maintain confidence in the security of each transaction.
Does iDEAL work outside the Netherlands?
iDEAL is primarily a Dutch payment method, but its reputation and bank partnerships extend its use into neighboring countries. In Belgium, many Dutch consumers continue using iDEAL for cross-border shopping, and in Germany some merchants accept iDEAL through banking partnerships.
With the European Payments Initiative acquiring iDEAL, its future integration into Wero is expected to give it a much broader European presence over the next few years.
How does iDEAL compare to Klarna and Wero?
iDEAL dominates the Dutch market with unmatched local penetration. Klarna, on the other hand, is an international solution with over 150 million global users, offering BNPL, installments, and direct payments across 26 European countries and the USA.
Wero is the newest entrant, backed by major European banks, and is expected to become a pan-European wallet with features such as instant account-to-account transfers, recurring billing, and loyalty programs. Merchants working with Fasto can integrate all three, allowing them to serve Dutch customers today while preparing for European and global opportunities.
How can merchants integrate iDEAL?
The easiest way for merchants to integrate iDEAL is through Fasto. We provide a single integration that covers iDEAL and other local payment methods such as Klarna, Wero, Bizum, Swish, and Pix.
In addition to technical integration, Fasto delivers value-added services like fraud monitoring, chargeback protection, recurring billing support, and approval optimization tools. This ensures that iDEAL is not only active in your checkout but also performing at its best for customer experience and conversion.
💡 Interested in learning more about what’s included in a typical high-risk merchant account? View our complete breakdown of FastoPayments’s high-risk merchant accounts.
