BLIK payments: what they are, how they work and why they are essential for selling in Poland

If your business is planning to expand into the Polish market, there is one aspect you cannot afford to overlook: local payment methods. Although cards remain a common option, consumers expect to pay using the payment solutions they use in their everyday lives. And in Poland, that means BLIK.

Thanks to its speed, ease of use and high level of consumer trust, BLIK has become one of the country’s most widely used payment systems. Failing to offer it can result in a poorer shopping experience and higher checkout abandonment compared with competitors that have adapted to local payment preferences.

In this article, we’ll explain what BLIK is, how it works, its main advantages and why integrating it can help improve your conversion rate if you sell in Poland.

What is BLIK?

Polish consumers’ favourite payment solution

BLIK is a mobile payment solution launched in 2015 by Polski Standard Płatności (PSP), a consortium established by Poland’s leading banks. It is currently available to around 95% of the country’s online banking users, making it one of the most widely used payment methods in Poland, with 18 million active users.

Unlike many other payment methods, BLIK does not require customers to enter their bank card details or create an additional account when making a purchase. The entire process takes place within the user’s banking app, where a one-time numeric code is generated to authorise the transaction in just a few seconds.

Over the years, BLIK has evolved far beyond ecommerce. Today, it enables users to make online and in-store purchases, withdraw and deposit cash at ATMs, send money to other individuals (P2P) and set up recurring payments with supported banks and merchants.

It is now one of the most widely used payment methods in Poland and an essential option for any business looking to sell in this market. Integrating it into your virtual POS or online payment gateway allows you to provide a payment experience tailored to the preferences of local consumers.

How do BLIK payments work?

One of the main reasons behind BLIK’s success is its simplicity and convenience. Here’s exactly how it works.

Online BLIK payments

Making an online payment with BLIK takes just a few seconds:

• The customer selects BLIK as the payment method at checkout.
• They open their bank’s mobile app.
• They generate a six-digit code that is valid for a limited time.
• They enter the code on the payment page.
• They confirm the transaction within their banking app.

Once the purchase has been authorised, the payment is processed instantly and the merchant receives real-time confirmation. All this happens without the customer having to enter their card number, remember additional passwords or leave the secure banking app environment.

In-store BLIK payments

Paying with BLIK in physical stores is equally simple:

• The customer tells the retailer they would like to pay with BLIK.
• They open their bank’s mobile app and generate a six-digit code.
• They enter the code into the card terminal.
• They confirm the transaction in their banking app.

Why has BLIK conquered the Polish market?

Benefits of accepting BLIK payments for your customers

BLIK’s growth has not happened by chance. Its value proposition matches exactly what today’s consumers are looking for: speed, security and a seamless payment experience.

The key reasons behind its popularity include:

• Purchases can be completed in just a few seconds.
• Customers do not need to enter their card details for every transaction.
• It works directly through the user’s existing banking app.
• Every payment requires approval via the customer’s mobile device, providing an extra layer of security.
• It is a familiar and trusted payment system used by millions of Polish consumers.

As a result, BLIK has become the preferred payment option for many users over more traditional methods such as cards or cash.

Benefits of accepting BLIK payments for merchants

For businesses already selling in Poland, or planning to expand there, adding BLIK means far more than simply offering another payment method. It means delivering a payment experience that meets local expectations while reducing friction throughout the purchasing process.

Improve your conversion rate

When customers find their preferred payment method, checkout abandonment decreases. Offering a virtual POS that supports BLIK makes the payment process smoother and helps increase conversion rates.

Support international expansion

Poland is one of Europe’s fastest-growing ecommerce markets. According to the European E-commerce Report 2025, online sales grew by 8% in 2025 compared with the previous year. Adapting your payment methods to local consumer preferences can make the difference between winning new customers and losing sales to local competitors.

Instant payments and real-time confirmation

Payments are authorised instantly, speeding up both the customer experience and order processing.

Greater trust and security

As customers never need to share their full card details and every payment must be approved within their banking app, the risk of fraud is significantly reduced.

A better payment experience

For businesses entering a new international market, offering the payment method local consumers already use creates a sense of familiarity, reduces friction and improves brand perception.

Which industries use BLIK the most?

Thanks to its ease of use, BLIK has established itself across virtually every ecommerce sector, although its presence is particularly strong in certain industries.

• Online stores and ecommerce, where offering Polish consumers’ preferred payment method helps reduce basket abandonment and increase sales.
• Marketplaces, which need to build trust among buyers from different countries by offering familiar payment methods for each market.
• Travel and tourism businesses, including hotels, airlines and booking platforms, where instant payment confirmation speeds up reservation management.
• Digital services and subscription platforms, which aim to provide a fast and secure payment process without disrupting the user experience.
• Gaming and entertainment, where instant payments play a key role in delivering a seamless purchasing experience.

Its versatility has led an increasing number of international businesses to integrate BLIK into both their virtual POS systems for online payments and their physical card terminals, providing a consistent payment experience across every sales channel.

BLIK and the importance of offering local payment methods

When expanding internationally, one of the most common mistakes businesses make is assuming that accepting card payments alone will be enough in every market.

In reality, payment habits vary significantly from one country to another. For example, while Bizum is the leading payment method in Spain, MB WAY dominates in Portugal, and BLIK is the preferred solution in Poland.

Consumers trust the payment methods they use every day. If they cannot find their preferred option during checkout, they are much more likely to abandon the purchase before completing payment.

For this reason, adapting your payment strategy to each market is no longer a competitive advantage, it is essential for succeeding internationally.

Why integrate BLIK through a single payment provider?

If you sell internationally, you’ll know that managing multiple local payment methods across different countries can quickly become an operational challenge.

Working with a payment provider that brings together the leading international payment methods within a single online payment gateway simplifies technical integration, reduces operational complexity and delivers a consistent payment experience across every market.

In addition, managing all payments through a single platform makes it easier to handle collections, reconciliation and reporting, while allowing you to add new payment methods as your business expands into new international markets.

Accept BLIK payments in your business

Increase your sales with PaynoPain’s online virtual POS

If your business already sells in Poland—or is planning to enter the Polish market, integrating BLIK will allow you to offer a payment experience tailored to local consumer preferences, reduce checkout friction and improve conversion rates.

With PaynoPain, you can accept BLIK payments through a single online payment gateway, integrating it easily into your virtual POS and, if your business also operates in physical locations, into your in-store payment terminals. This allows you to manage all your payments from one platform while supporting your business’s expansion into new markets.