Payment methods in Greece 🇬🇷

Greece’s payment landscape blends tradition and innovation. Cash still plays a role, but digital solutions now lead the way.

Card payments dominate online and retail, while IRIS accelerates instant bank transfers. E-wallets and BNPL grow fast, especially among young consumers.

Fintechs and government-led services drive adoption. International schemes thrive, but Greek-born solutions shape the local experience.

Payment by Card in Greece

Card payments are widely used in Greece, particularly for in-store and e-commerce purchases. Adoption rose sharply after capital controls. Visa and Mastercard are the most common networks, accepted nearly everywhere. Contactless card usage is also growing steadily (Bank of Greece).

In 2024, over 70% of e-commerce transactions in Greece used card payments.

Local scheme DIAS Card was discontinued, with international schemes taking full dominance in both retail and online transactions.

Banks often offer debit cards linked to domestic accounts, typically Mastercard or Visa-branded, facilitating widespread use in digital payments. POS terminal infrastructure improved in recent years, ensuring high card acceptance across merchants, including smaller businesses.

Card Payment Methods in 2025

Visa is widely accepted across Greek e-commerce, especially for international transactions and travel-related purchases.

Mastercard supports both credit and debit use in Greece, with strong presence in online and hospitality sectors.

American Express is accepted by large retailers and travel platforms but remains limited in small e-commerce stores.

 

 

Payment by Cash in Greece

Cash remains relevant in Greece, though usage continues to decline with the rise of digital and card payments. In 2024, cash accounted for 52% of point-of-sale transactions, down from 59% in 2022.

Older consumers and traditional markets still favor cash for daily purchases due to familiarity and low-value transaction habits. E-commerce rarely accepts cash directly, but cash-on-delivery (COD) is still used for apparel and household goods orders. COD remains common among first-time or skeptical online shoppers who prefer to inspect products before paying.

Recent regulations now limit the use of cash for large-value transactions, supporting transparency and digital payment adoption. The informal economy contributes to cash’s persistence, especially in food services and some tourism-related businesses.

Cash Payment Methods in 2025

ELTA Courier enables cash payments on parcel delivery and remains a trusted partner for rural and regional e-commerce.

 

Payment by Bank Transfer (Instant Payment) in Greece

Bank transfers remain a core payment method in Greece for consumers and businesses. SEPA ensures smooth cross-border euro transfers. Most Greek banks offer robust digital platforms with features like scheduled, recurring, and instant payments through web and mobile apps.

In 2024, over 20% of e-commerce payments in Greece used direct bank transfers. DIAS SA operates the national clearing and settlement infrastructure, including SEPA and instant credit transfer rails for all major Greek banks. Greece participates in the SEPA Instant Credit Transfer (SCT Inst) scheme, allowing real-time euro payments within 10 seconds.

IRIS, the local instant payment system by DIAS, enables real-time P2P, P2B, and B2B transfers using mobile numbers or IBANs. In 2024, IRIS processed 57.3 million transactions worth €6.1 billion, up 137% year-over-year (naftemporiki). By early 2025, IRIS reached 3.5 million users and 560,000 professionals, and is mandatory in all businesses by November 1, 2025 (ekathimerini). IRIS e-commerce merchants increased 46-fold since 2020, now exceeding 6,900. Daily limits will double to €1,000 by late 2025.

The system will also integrate with the EuroPA network, expanding cross-border instant payments to 10 EU countries.

Businesses use bank transfers for payroll and supplier payments. Consumers rely on them for large purchases and urgent bills.

Bank Transfer Payment Methods in 2025

 SEPA Instant Transfer enables fast cross-border euro transfers and is standard for business payments and high-value e-commerce orders.

IRIS supports real-time bank payments in Greece, connecting phone numbers to IBANs for frictionless online purchases.

DIAS SA powers Greece’s interbank clearing; it also manages IRIS and promotes instant payments across Greek merchants.

 

 

Payment by installment and BNPL

BNPL is the fastest-growing payment option in Greek e-commerce. In 2024, the market reached US $2.45 billion, and it’s expected to grow to US $2.03 billion in 2025, with sustained growth through 2030.

Consumers show increasingly strong preference: 53% favor BNPL over credit cards.

Key local providers include:

• Finloup: An Athens-based fintech using open banking to offer BNPL in fixed monthly installments (EU Startups).
• TBI Bank: A domestic bank offering in-store BNPL with 4 interest-free installments across retail locations (TBI Bank).

MelonPay, previously active, has shut down operations as of mid-2025 (PitchBook).

FlexPay (formerly Uplift) is an international player, not based in Greece.

BNPL growth reflects digital adoption, economic uncertainty, and rising demand for flexible, interest-free payment options.

BNPL Payment Methods in 2025

Finloup is a Greek BNPL fintech offering installment options using open banking, active in electronics and fashion sectors.

TBI Bank provides BNPL in-store and online, especially for consumer electronics and large-ticket purchases in Greece.

FlexPay (formerly Uplift) is active across Europe but does not operate as a local Greek BNPL solution.

 

Payment by digital wallet and X-Pay

Digital wallets gain traction in Greece, driven by smartphone adoption, fintech growth, and strong consumer interest in seamless payments.

In 2024, 66% of Greek consumers valued mobile payment speed. Nearly 30% preferred wallets over cards at the point of sale.

X‑Pay includes wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. These enable secure, fast transactions both in-store and online.

Popular local apps include Viva Wallet POS, Winbank Mobile, i‑bank Pay, MyAlpha Mobile, and NBG Mobile Banking.

Gov.gr Wallet, launched by the Greek government, reached 1.88M downloads by mid-2024, supporting digital ID and document storage.

In e-commerce, mobile wallets play a growing role, especially among younger users and fintech-savvy shoppers who value convenience and security.

E-Wallet Payment Methods in 2025

Viva Wallet is a Greek neobank offering a digital wallet integrated with Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Payzy is a local mobile wallet app supporting QR and contactless payments, growing among younger consumers.

Gov.gr Wallet is the government’s app used to store digital ID and documents, adoption exceeds 1.88M downloads in 2024.

 Apple Pay is available in Greece and supported by major Greek banks and wallet providers.

 Google Pay launched in Greece in 2022 and is now accepted widely across e-commerce and retail.

Samsung Pay is not officially supported in Greece as of 2025.

 PayPal is available in Greece and frequently used for cross-border purchases from international merchants.