Portugal has unique payment habits that every e-commerce operator must understand and accommodate. MB Way and Multibanco are dominant payment methods that simply do not exist in other European countries, making local payment integration essential for any store targeting Portuguese consumers. According to SIBS data, over 80% of Portuguese adults regularly use at least one of these methods, and failing to offer them means losing a significant share of potential customers at checkout.
MB Way: Portugal's mobile payment leader
MB Way is the leading mobile payment application in Portugal, developed by SIBS (the company behind the Multibanco network) with over 5 million active users. It enables instant payments via smartphone using just the customer's phone number. In e-commerce, MB Way is used by approximately 30% of Portuguese online shoppers and growing rapidly, particularly among younger demographics. Integration is done through payment gateways such as ifthenpay, Easypay or the SIBS API Market. The payment flow is straightforward: the customer enters their phone number at checkout, receives a push notification on the MB Way app, and confirms with their PIN or biometric authentication. Confirmation is instant, which significantly reduces cart abandonment compared to methods that require bank transfers or ATM visits.
Multibanco: the uniquely Portuguese system
Multibanco is Portugal's interbank payment system, truly unique in the world. Through Multibanco references (entity number + reference number + amount), consumers can pay at any of the thousands of ATMs in the SIBS network, through their homebanking portal or their banking app. Around 20% of e-commerce payments use Multibanco references, especially for higher-value orders where trust in the payment method is a deciding factor. References typically have a validity of 24 to 72 hours, and payment confirmation is sent to the seller in real time. For the seller, the transaction fee is generally fixed (0.50-1.00 €), which makes it particularly cost-effective for high-value orders compared to percentage-based card fees.
Credit and debit cards
Visa and Mastercard are used by approximately 35% of online shoppers in Portugal. Debit cards with Visa Debit or Mastercard Debit functionality are particularly popular, as many Portuguese consumers prefer direct debit over credit. 3D Secure (strong customer authentication) is mandatory under the PSD2 directive, and most Portuguese banks use app-based authentication or SMS verification. Integration with processors like Stripe, Adyen or PayPal Braintree covers this requirement seamlessly.
PayPal and alternative methods
PayPal holds approximately 15% of online payment share in Portugal, being particularly popular for international purchases where buyer protection is valued. Apple Pay and Google Pay are growing in the mobile segment, though their penetration remains below MB Way. Installment payment solutions like Cofidis Pay and Klarna are beginning to gain traction in the Portuguese market, especially for higher-value purchases. For maximum conversion rates, the recommendation is to offer at minimum MB Way, Multibanco, card payments and PayPal. Zunapro configures the ideal payment mix for e-commerce in Portugal, integrating all relevant methods into your platform with proper SAF-T invoicing for each transaction.
