Portugal
Portuguese shoppers split online payments between cards and local methods run by SIBS, the national payment processor. In the ECB’s 2024 SPACE survey, cards accounted for 36% of Portuguese online payments by number, e-payment solutions for 33% and instant payments for 10%, about twice the euro-area share for instant payments (5%). The key local options are MB WAY, the SIBS mobile payment app with more than 6.5 million users and over 1 billion transactions a year, and the Multibanco reference, a payment reference the customer settles through home banking or at a Multibanco ATM. SIBS describes MB WAY, Multibanco references and bank cards as the most widely used methods among Portuguese consumers. Prices are in euros (EUR), and a checkout without MB WAY and Multibanco references will miss many domestic buyers.
- Online
Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards · MB WAY · Multibanco references, paid through home banking or at a Multibanco ATM · instant bank transfers · PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay
- In store
Cash · contactless debit and credit cards · MB WAY by QR code or NFC · Apple Pay and Google Pay · Multibanco ATMs for paying bills and services
accepted here, and everywhere
Card schemes and wallets that are not particular to Portugal
currencies
In-store payments in Portugal
Cash is still used for just over half of in-store payments. The SPACE 2024 survey found cash accounted for 54% of point-of-sale transactions by number and 47% by value, with cards at 38% and 46% and mobile payments at 4%. SIBS runs the domestic Multibanco network, including around 13,000 Multibanco ATMs; in 2024 these handled more than 693 million transactions, over 55% of them digital operations other than cash withdrawals, such as paying bills and services. MB WAY can be used in store by QR code or NFC contactless, available on Android since 2017 and now also on iPhone.
E-commerce in Portugal
Online shopping is less widespread than in most of the EU: Eurostat data show 67% of Portuguese internet users bought online in the 12 months before the 2025 survey, against an EU average of 78%. Cross-border buying is common, with 20% of people aged 16 to 74 buying from sellers in other EU countries in the three months before the 2023 survey, compared with 36% buying from Portuguese sellers. Merchants should offer MB WAY and Multibanco references alongside cards, show prices in EUR including Portuguese VAT, and let customers add their tax identification number (NIF) to the invoice.
Payment regulation in Portugal
Banco de Portugal licenses and supervises payment and e-money institutions and oversees payment systems and schemes, including those operated by SIBS. PSD2 applies through Portugal’s legal regime for payment services and electronic money (Decree-Law 91/2018), so strong customer authentication is required for most online payments. Online gambling and betting require a licence from SRIJ (Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos), which publishes the list of licensed operators and warns consumers against unlicensed, illegal gambling sites.
Banking and financial inclusion
Account ownership is high. The World Bank’s Global Findex 2025 (2024 survey data) put account ownership at 91% of adults and debit card ownership at 87%. In the ECB’s 2024 SPACE survey, 92% of Portuguese respondents had a payment account and 91% held a payment card, and 93% said it was easy to withdraw cash, helped by the dense Multibanco ATM network.
What are the most popular payment methods in Portugal?
Which payment providers operate in Portugal?
Which currencies can merchants accept in Portugal?
Sources · 8
- SIBS – Online payments: MB WAY, Multibanco Reference and bank cards
- SIBS – MB WAY NFC payments on iOS
- SIBS – 40 years of Multibanco
- ECB – SPACE 2024 country-specific data (Portugal)
- Eurostat – Internet purchases by individuals (isoc_ec_ib20)
- Eurostat – Internet purchases, origin of sellers (isoc_ec_ibos)
- SRIJ – Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos
- World Bank – Global Findex Database 2025 (account ownership, Portugal)
Guide researched September 2026. Payment markets change quickly — check with providers before relying on it. Compiled from public sources. How we compile this