The shift from cash and card payments to account-to-account (A2A) payments reflects a global trend to modernize payment infrastructure, especially in sectors where speed, security, and cost control are essential. Romania is among the European countries that have implemented instant interbank payments, and open banking now expands access to these capabilities.
METRO Romania and Romanian fintech company Finqware, have entered into a strategic partnership to launch a new payment method for professional customers: direct bank account payments enabled by open banking technology.
„Through this partnership, METRO Romania becomes one of the first retailers in Central and Eastern Europe to offer its customers—particularly entrepreneurs and professionals—the option to make payments directly from their bank accounts: instantly, securely, and fully digitally.” – according to the press release.
The new functionality, branded METRO Pay, is powered by the integration of FinqLink, Finqware’s open banking payment initiation solution. „It enables METRO customers to pay instantly and directly from their bank accounts—no card or cash needed. The process is entirely digital, secure, and real-time, leveraging the instant payment infrastructure operated in Romania by Transfond, the national interbank payments operator.” – the company explained.
“At METRO, digital transformation of the shopping experience is a strategic focus. We aim to offer our customers—especially entrepreneurs in traditional retail and HoReCa—modern digital solutions that allow them to work more simply, faster, and more efficiently. Implementing account- to-account payments via open banking is a natural step in that direction. We chose Finqware for their innovative approach and proven experience at a European level,” said Camelia Oprea, Chief Financial Officer, METRO Romania.
„As bank payments are now processed instantly nationwide and more customers seek faster and safer alternatives to cash or cards, adopting open banking technology brings clear advantages: significantly lower processing costs, instant settlement, immediate payment confirmation, and elimination of risks associated with cash or card fraud.” – the company added.
“The new solution allows METRO customers to pay simply, straight from their account, without needing a card or cash. Funds are received instantly and confirmed in real time in METRO’s account—at a fraction of the cost of traditional card payments. It’s a digital, secure, and efficient solution—the next natural step in the evolution of payments, fully supported by the European Commission through the PSD2 regulation,” stated Cosmin Cosma, Co-Founder and CEO of Finqware.
The integration of FinqLink into METRO Romania’s digital ecosystem enables customers to initiate a payment with a simple click, redirecting them to their banking app for confirmation. Once authorized, the payment is processed instantly, and METRO receives confirmation in real time.
This initiative is part of METRO’s broader digitalization strategy to optimize its commercial relationship with B2B customers, providing an efficient and transparent alternative to traditional payment methods.
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METRO operates in over 30 countries and employs more than 85,000 people worldwide that serves around 15 million customers through a unique multichannel model: shopping in-store or via Food Service Distribution (FSD), all digitally integrated. In the 2023/24 financial year, METRO reported sales of €31 billion.
Finqware is a Romanian fintech company licensed as a pan-European payment institution, specializing in financial automation and bank integration solutions via open banking technology. Through its solutions—such as FinqLink and FinqTreasury—Finqware supports the financial digitalization of companies like FAN Courier, MedLife, Signal Iduna, One United Properties, Rompetrol, Electrica SA, Autonom, and many others. At the same time, banks like Banca Transilvania, CEC Bank, and Salt Bank use Finqware’s platform.
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