Blik
 | |
| Developer(s) | Polski Standard Płatności S. A.[1] |
|---|---|
| Initial release | February 9, 2015[citation needed] |
| Available in | Polish, English |
| Type | Mobile payment |
| Website | blik |
BLIK is a Polish mobile payment system launched in 2015. It is operated by Polski Standard Płatności (PSP).[2]
Blik enables users to make instant payments online and in retail stores, withdraw cash from ATMs, and transfer money, primarily using their bank's mobile application.[3]
As of June 2024, Blik reported nearly 17 million active users.[4] For the full year 2024, it processed 2.4 billion transactions, amounting to a total value of approximately 350 billion Polish złoty (PLN).[5]
History
[edit]Polski Standard Płatności (PSP), a company established by an alliance of six Polish banks, launched Blik in February 2015.[2] PSP is a member of the European Mobile Payment Systems Association.[6]
Between 2019 and 2020, Polish Police reported fraud incidents involving Blik ATM withdrawals. These typically occurred when perpetrators gained access to a victim's social media account, requested Blik codes from the victim's contacts under false pretenses for a loan, and then used these codes for cash withdrawals.[7]
In 2021, Blik introduced contactless payments, enabling users with NFC-equipped Android devices to make payments at POS terminals using Mastercard virtual tokens.[8] This functionality also extends to Polish users traveling abroad[9] and has been noted as a potential alternative to Google Pay on rooted smartphones.[citation needed]
Revolut became the first foreign financial institution to integrate Blik in early 2025. While Revolut users in the EU with a PLN account can access Blik, its use is currently restricted to transactions with Polish businesses, limiting its practical application outside Poland.[10]
Services
[edit]The system allows users to make online and in-store purchases and to transfer money in real time between bank accounts and ATMs,[11][12] including cash withdrawal from ATMs, without the need of a payment card.
Transactions are uniquely identified by 6-digit one-time codes, each time valid for up to 2 minutes, which the user obtains using their mobile banking app. The code can then be typed in online, entered on the ATM screen, or on compatible contactless payment terminals. The payment requires final authentification of the vendor and transaction amount in the app and is instantaneous.
Blik allows instant transfers between users by binding phone numbers to bank accounts.[13] These transfers are similarly free and instantaneous, even between accounts from different banks. Some online shopping platforms, like Allegro, are able to connect a customer account to a Blik-compatible app instance allowing for payment confirmation with just a notification prompt and pin code or biometric login.
Participating banks
[edit]The Blik service is available from 20 banks, including the following:
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Kontakt". BLIK (in Polish). Retrieved 2025-05-16.
- ^ a b "Polish banks launch mobile payments solution Blik". ecommercenews. 2015-02-10. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
- ^ "Jak korzystać z BLIKA". BLIK (in Polish). Retrieved 2025-05-16.
- ^ Hinton, Lauren (2024-08-22). "H1 2024: Over One Billion BLIK Transactions in Six Months". Fintech Finance. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
- ^ Wilkowicz, Lukasz (2025-02-18). "Blik coraz mocniej podgryza karty. Wkrótce zapłacisz nim za Netflix czy Spotify". Dziennik Gazeta Prawna (in Polish). Retrieved 2025-02-27.
- ^ "EMPSA - European Mobile Payment Systems Association". European Mobile Payment Systems Association. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
- ^ Policja, Polska. "Oszustwa metodą na BLIK – policjanci ostrzegają". Policja.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-07-07.
- ^ "BLIK provides consumers with best-in-class experience in mobile contactless payments thanks to the partnership with Mastercard". blik.com. 2021-07-14. Retrieved 2022-01-24.
- ^ "Blik i jest!". www.blik.com (in Polish).
- ^ "What is BLIK and how can I use it?". Revolut. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
- ^ "BLIK payment method". adyen.com. 2021-02-11. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
- ^ "Why BLIK is so popular and how we deployed it in mobile banking?". Finanteq. 2020-01-31. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
- ^ QUERCUS. "Przelewy na numer telefonu w aplikacji mobilnej mBanku| mBank.pl". www.mbank.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-07-07.
