European Payments Initiative
Designing a unified, scalable payment experience for Europe
The Challenge
Peer-to-peer and digital payment platforms have transformed the way people spend and share money.
But European banks recognised a growing issue: with every transaction on foreign-owned platforms, a fraction of the payment left the European Union. They needed a solution to keep money within the EU while making cross-border payments seamless for consumers and businesses alike.
In response, 14 major banks and two acquirers – including Deutsche Bank, Crédit Agricole, and Société Générale – came together in 2020 to launch the European Payments Initiative (EPI). Their goal was to create a unified, digital-first payment platform that would serve as a true European alternative. By 2022, they began building the infrastructure, and in the summer of 2024, the platform launched in Germany, France, and Belgium. Today, over 42 million users have completed over 100 million transactions, totaling more than €6 billion.
The Solution
In 2021, EPI engaged us to define a future-proof digital vision for their platform – one that would shape the next decade of peer-to-peer and in-store payments. Over an intensive four-month design sprint, we delivered:
![]()
A North Star Vision, Realised: Mapped EPI’s ambitions to tangible product artifacts, supporting the platform’s evolution from peer-to-peer payments to commerce transactions and beyond.![]()
Beta Brand & Manifesto: A recognisable, trustworthy identity for EPI, grounded in clear messaging, typography, and positioning.![]()
Tested, Workable Designs: A clickable prototype, animations, and user flows that mapped out the technical and UX foundation for the platform.![]()
Experience Principles: Guidelines ensuring compliance across different European regulations while giving users intuitive control over their financial data.![]()
Strategic Research & Insights: A rigorous multi-market research program to account for cultural differences in payment behaviours, informing feature prioritisation and design decisions.
We come back to ustwo's insights time and time again because they so clearly frame our conversation with member banks.
The Process
Designing a pan-European payment platform required the agility to zoom in on details, and zoom out to check the big picture. Our process was guided by EPI’s regulatory considerations, combined with our research on cultural nuances and relentless focus on user needs.
Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration
With consultants from multiple banks involved, we had to navigate a complex web of priorities while ensuring alignment on the product vision.
Cross-Border Compliance & Security
Europe’s stringent financial regulations demanded that EPI’s platform meet legal requirements while maintaining a seamless user experience. For example, some markets required default name display, while others needed privacy-first settings. We designed flexible, compliant solutions that adapted to each country’s standards.
Cultural Differences in Payment Behaviour
Sending and requesting money varies across cultures. Some users expect structured bill-splitting features, while others prefer simplified peer-to-peer transfers. Our research program covered five key markets (France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, and Belgium) with qualitative and quantitative studies, synthesising insights into a cohesive, user-friendly design.
Rapid Iteration & Validation
Every three weeks, our team thoroughly tested and refined prototypes across four major European languages – French, German, Dutch, and Spanish – ensuring usability and consistency across markets. Through this process, we confirmed that peer-to-peer transactions should be the platform’s launch priority, setting the stage for future expansions.
The Impact
A Proven Blueprint for Success
“You can draw a direct line to what's been delivered in the market and the early success of this product,”says Ralf Müller, Chief Product and Technology Officer at EPI. Our work built the foundation of the EPI product, influencing its ongoing evolution as it expands into more European markets.
Investor Confidence & Buy-In
Clear design interventions and a well-tested prototype helped secure crucial buy-in: “It was everything a skeptical bank would want to see, to be convinced of the potential of customers to actually use this thing,” says Tom Harle, Head of User Experience Design at EPI.
Accelerated Product Development
The design sprint provided EPI with a validated, production-ready framework, allowing development teams to move faster with a clear, user-tested foundation.
Seamless Cross-Border Transactions
With our focus on intuitive design, payments across Germany, France, and Belgium now feel as seamless as domestic transfers, reducing friction for both consumers and businesses.
Scalability & Future Growth
The design accounts for multi-currency support, upcoming features like Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL), and new payment use cases, ensuring EPI can expand effortlessly into more European markets.
Stronger Merchant Adoption
By improving the ease of integration for retailers, the platform opens up new revenue streams and positions EPI as a competitive alternative to global payment giants.
Why It Matters
Money moves culture. It shapes economies, enables relationships, and connects communities. For years, fragmented payment systems made it harder for Europeans to send and receive money across borders, reinforcing financial barriers in a region built on unity. EPI is changing that.
By designing a seamless, intuitive payment experience, we helped turn a bureaucratic challenge into a human benefit – making it as easy to pay a friend in Paris as it is in Berlin. The platform doesn’t just help keep money in Europe; it gives people financial agency, empowers businesses to grow, and makes everyday transactions effortless. A truly European way to pay.