Last month, DIAS S.A. announced that Greece became the first country in Europe to enable universal instant payment acceptance across all 1.2 million point-of-sale terminals nationwide. In the first half of December 2025, instant payments in Greece accounted for approximately 40% of all credit transfers, exceeding the Eurozone average.
The new framework for the state-backed IRIS payment system allows individuals and businesses to transfer larger sums directly via mobile devices with immediate settlement.
Under the revised rules, daily transfers between private individuals will rise to 1,000 euros, matching the new daily limit for payments to freelancers and sole proprietorships.
While a monthly ceiling of 5,000 euros will apply to person-to-person transactions, business collections will face no monthly cap—a distinction aimed at reshaping how professionals and merchants receive payments.
“IRIS will cover a larger share of everyday transactions, free from the delays and fees typically associated with card payments,” said officials from DIAS S.A., the interbanking system operator. CEO Stavroula Kampouridou has previously highlighted the system’s role in combatting tax evasion.
Mrs. Kampouridou noted that the network is now available at 1.2 million point-of-sale terminals.
The expansion comes as Greece posts record adoption rates. In the first half of December 2025, instant payments accounted for approximately 40% of all credit transfers, surpassing the Eurozone average.
By the end of 2025, the system was projected to handle 120 million transactions worth 11 billion euros.
Looking ahead, authorities plan to connect IRIS with the pan-European EuroPA/EPI network in early 2026, enabling seamless cross-border transfers between EU citizens.
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