iDEAL

With iDEAL 2.0 via Pay.nl, customers can pay securely and directly online via their own bank. This latest version of iDEAL offers a faster, safer, and more user-friendly payment experience on both desktop and mobile. Pay.nl also supports extra features such as multiple refunds, subscriptions, and easy integration via modern APIs, allowing businesses to process payments flexibly and reliably.

Origin and background

iDEAL was launched in 2005 as a joint initiative of Dutch banks, including ABN AMRO, ING, Rabobank, SNS Bank, Fortis and Friesland Bank. The goal was to offer a simple, secure, and uniform way to make online payments via internet banking. 

Before iDEAL, consumers often used credit cards, giro payment slips, or bank transfers, which were slow and less user-friendly. Webshops wanted direct payment confirmation instead — something iDEAL made possible.

Growth and success

• Within a few years of its launch, iDEAL became the most widely used online payment method in the Netherlands.
• Today, more than 70% of all Dutch online purchases are paid via iDEAL.
• The system is managed by Currence, an organization that oversees uniform agreements and standards for payment transactions.
• iDEAL is now also more widely accepted internationally, especially by foreign webshops serving Dutch customers.
• iDEAL received a major boost in early 2015 thanks to mobile banking, in which the phone was used for two-step verification. This growth was further boosted by the rise of food delivery apps.

Future of iDEAL

• In 2023 it was announced that iDEAL is being taken over by the European Payments Initiative (EPI), with the goal of developing a European payment standard based on iDEAL technology.
• The renewed version should ultimately also work outside the Netherlands, under the name “Wero”.

Characteristics

Participating banks

ID	Bank name	Icon	Logo	BIC	Status
1	ABN AMRO			ABNANL2A	Active
2	Rabobank			RABONL2U	Active
4	ING Bank			INGBNL2A	Active
5	SNS Bank			SNSBNL2A	Active
8	ASN Bank			ASNBNL21	Active
9	RegioBank			RBRBNL21	Active
10	Triodos Bank			TRIONL2U	Active
11	Van Lanschot Bankers			FVLBNL22	Active
12	Knab			KNABNL2H	Active
5080	Bunq			BUNQNL2A	Active
5081	MoneYou			MOYONL21	Active
5082	Svenska Handelsbanken			HANDNL2A	Active
5084	Revolution			REVONL2A	Active