Ep. 45 - Live from MPE Berlin: Europe’s Payments Sovereignty Moment: Wero, Banks & Merchant Adoption

Live from MPE Berlin, host Justin Hanna is joined by Fabian Mansfeld, Chief Acceptance Strategy Officer at the European Payments Initiative, to unpack the rapid progress of Wero and what it means for the future of payments in Europe.Fabian shares how Wero has scaled to tens of millions of connected consumers through bank participation, and why that level of coordination is critical to building a truly European alternative in payments. The conversation dives into what payment sovereignty actually means in practice, and how Europe is positioning itself alongside global card networks and digital wallets.They also explore the next phase of rollout — from merchant acceptance and e-commerce deployment to early market adoption and vertical traction — and what needs to happen for Wero to become a mainstream payment method.Plus, Fabian steps up for The Payments Shed’s legendary Shelf of Shame — calling out one thing in payments he’d happily banish forever.***The Payments Shed Podcast is headline sponsored by ISX Financial.ISX Financial, delivers a unified ecosystem with multi-currency accounts, online payments,  real-time UK and EU transfers and global mass payouts. Within that platform, PaidBy® provides Pay by Bank with real-time settlement notifications, automated reconciliation and integrated refund management. One partner, one integration — helping your business transact with confidence. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.isx.financial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***The Payments Shed Podcast is sponsored by Snap Finance UK.Snap Finance is a flexible point-of-sale finance provider helping consumers spread the cost of essential purchases. They offer transparent repayment options, built around accessibility and real-world affordability, focused on making credit work better for everyday shoppers.***The Payments Shed Podcast is supported by PCN.PCN is a boutique recruitment agency rooted in Amsterdam, driven by a singular mission: connecting top talent with industry leaders. PCN specialises in five core pillars — Fintech, Cybersecurity, SaaS, E-Commerce, and Salesforce — backed by a global network across borders.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://teampcn.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠***Disclaimer. Any views or opinions referenced in this podcast episode are our own, or those of our respective guests, and they do not represent any views, opinions, or statements from our respective employers, or those of our guests. Additionally, any views expressed here are not intended as investment, legal, tax, or financial advice.