PayU

Within the Polish digital payment ecosystem, PayU, established in 2002, is one of the three major local payment methods alongside BLIK and Przelewy24. The platform offers a variety of payment options, including credit cards, bank transfers, QR code payments, deferred payments, and digital wallets. The payment process is designed for simplicity: after selecting PayU, the user is redirected to a payment page where they choose their bank and complete identity verification to authorise the payment. This seamless experience is highly favoured by both local consumers and merchants. Given that Polish consumers prefer cash on delivery and localised payment methods, PayU has become an important choice for platforms like Allegro by effectively catering to these preferences. Beyond Poland, PayU also operates across Latin America, Africa, and parts of Asia, and its European presence remains primarily concentrated in the Polish market.

As one of Central and Eastern Europe's more digitally advanced markets, Poland offers a representative example of how payment ecosystems are evolving across the region. In recent years, the local payment landscape has undergone a clear digital transformation, characterised by the continuous decline of cash transactions and the accelerated adoption of digital payment methods.

According to data released by the National Bank of Poland, debit card overtook cash payments for the first time in 2023, becoming the dominant payment method for in-store transactions, while cash accounted for just 32% of transaction value. Industry forecasts indicate that cash payments in Poland are decreasing at an average annual rate of approximately 9%, with market share expected to drop to 18% by 2027.

The profound shift in local payment habits has not only driven the digital payment market toward greater diversification but also compelled merchants to upgrade and adapt their payment services. This requires offering mainstream digital payment methods preferred by local users while ensuring the smoothness and compliance of the payment process. Consequently, localised, comprehensive payment solutions have become a core requirement for establishing a presence in the Polish market.

The rapid popularisation of digital payments in Poland has not only restructured the local consumer payment ecosystem but also highlighted the importance of localisation for merchants entering the market. Together, PayU, BLIK, and Przelewy24 form the backbone of Poland's digital payments landscape. Through differentiated product strengths, extensive local acceptance, and services tailored to local consumer behaviour, these three mainstream payment methods collectively support the needs of 78% of online shoppers, while also facilitating cross-border transactions and increasingly diverse payment preferences. Therefore, for merchants aiming to build a strong presence in the Polish market, offering these three major local payment methods is both an inevitable choice to align with the local digital transformation and a key strategy for effectively reaching local consumers and improving transaction conversion rates.

Properties

The following table lists the product properties supported by PayU:

User experience

Note: The following payment flows on different terminals are for reference only. For supported merchants' terminal types, consult Antom Technical Support.

The following screenshots show the journey of paying with PayU:

Web (Bank transfer)

Web (BLIK)

WAP

FAQ

1. Why do consumers trust PayU for online payments?

PayU's PCI-certified online payment gateway combines advanced technology and analytics with user-friendly tools, ensuring high standards of security and compliance when processing online payments.

2. How widely used is PayU in Poland, and does it align with local online payment trends?

PayU has a very high penetration rate in Poland, with approximately one-third of Polish online shoppers using the service. In 2024, PayU accounted for 63% of online payment usage in the country, making it one of the key payment options for local e-commerce transactions.

3. How many banks does PayU support in Poland?

Currently, PayU is connected to nearly 20 major Polish banks.

4. Why has PayU become one of the three major payment methods in Poland alongside BLIK and Przelewy24?

Poland's digital payments market is highly diversified. Due to different payment preferences among consumers and merchants, PayU, BLIK, and Przelewy24 have developed complementary strengths through differentiated positioning. With more than two decades of experience in the Polish market, PayU has built strong consumer trust, while offering broad coverage across a wide range of payment scenarios. These advantages have helped establish it as one of the core payment methods within Poland's mainstream digital payments ecosystem.