Over 400 million BLIK transactions in Q2 2023
Between April and June 2023, BLIK users made 426 million transactions with a total value of PLN 57.9 bn (EUR 13 bn). By the end of Q2 2023, more than 14 million people were actively using this solution. In the analysed period, the most dynamic growth was recorded in the number of BLIK phone transfers – in Poland, this service was used as many as 100 million times. BLIK contactless payments also enjoyed increasing popularity among users, with 32.5 million of such payments made in Q2 2023 – twice more than in the corresponding period in 2022.
Strong first half of 2023
Q2 2023 saw above-average results in terms of BLIK transactions. Between April and June this year, users completed 426 million transactions, which constitutes an increase of 46% compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, the total value of all transactions grew by 49% year-on-year, reaching PLN 57.9 bn (EUR 13 bn). Overall, 800 million transactions, worth a total of PLN 108 bn (24 EUR), were made in H1 2023.
At the end of June, there were 14.1 million active BLIK users (those who complete at least one transaction per month), which represented a year-on-year increase of 25%.
BLIK as a popular payment method in e-commerce
During the period in question, the majority of BLIK transactions were once again carried out in e‑commerce, with their share accounting for a little over half of all operations. Between April and June this year, BLIK users made as many as 218.6 million online payments – one-third more than a year earlier. The value of online transactions reached PLN 29.7 bn (EUR 6.7 bn) versus PLN 20.9 bn (EUR 4.7 bn) in the previous year. The average value of a single online purchase in Q2 2023 was PLN 136 (EUR 30.6).
In respect of purchase decisions in Q2 2023, marketplace platforms maintained their competitive edge – that is where the majority of Polish consumers most often made BLIK payments, generating an average basket value of PLN 121.70 (EUR 27) between April and June. Among the categories of services and products for which many people in Poland decided to pay with BLIK were transport tickets and online betting. These segments reported an increase in the number of transactions of, respectively, 40% and 36% compared to the previous year.
Boost of popularity of instant transfers
Q2 2023 also brought a significant increase in the number of BLIK phone transfers. From April to June, there were as many as 100 million of them – 75% more than in the corresponding period last year. The total amount of money transferred using this method was PLN 13.3 bn (EUR 3 bn) (an increase of 98% year-on-year), while the average value of a single transaction was PLN 141 (EUR 31.7).
BLIK phone transfers are currently the fastest-growing BLIK service, accounting for nearly a quarter of all transactions. Its immediacy and 24/7 accessibility as well as the possibility of making instant settlements between customers of different banks and the lack of necessity to know the recipient’s account number are all advantages that directly translate into a growing user base. Currently, there are more than 15 million phone numbers registered to receive BLIK transfers. We believe that this form of settlements will continue to gain popularity in the coming quarters. An important factor that may further contribute to this success is the “BLIK phone transfer request” option, which we have been gradually developing
- says Monika Król, Vice President of the Polish Payment Standard, the operator of the BLIK mobile payment system.
Further growth in terms of POS and ATM payments
From April to June this year, there was also a noticeable increase in BLIK payments made using traditional terminals – the number of transactions in this period amounted to 92.3 million, i.e. 67% more than last year. The growing popularity of BLIK contactless payments had a major impact on this result. Since said service was first made available by the six largest Polish banks, it has already been activated by more than 2 million users. In Q2 2023, they carried out 32.5 million transactions with the total value of PLN 1.3 billion (EUR 292 million). This constitutes an increase of, respectively, 111% and 124% compared to the result achieved in the previous year. So far, the service has been used in 131 countries around the world.
An upward trend was also observed in respect of ATM transactions. In Q2 2023, the number of such transactions increased by one-quarter year-on-year, reaching 15.5 million. The average value of a single deposit or withdrawal in this channel amounted to PLN 644 (EUR 145).
Daily number of transactions close to 5 million
Between April and June, BLIK users performed an average of 4.7 million BLIK transactions per day – nearly 50% more than in the same period in 2022. On the peak day of Q2 2023, i.e. May 10th, almost 6.7 million transactions were recorded. The average amount of a single BLIK transaction was PLN 136 (EUR 30.6).
A very dynamic quarter has just ended. We believe that we have used this time rather well. Not only have we managed to complete the acquisition of the VIAMO payment platform, thus opening up new opportunities and prospects for expansion, but we have also successfully developed BLIK services on the Polish market. For example, we continued our efforts to make BLIK available in the public sector, which resulted in the introduction of our solution into the mObywatel app. In addition, we have not forgotten about our corporate social responsibility. In recent months, we have become involved in the initiative of the Poland Business Run Foundation, which allowed us to show that BLIK not only represents convenience and modernity, but also provides means to simply and effectively help those in need
- says Dariusz Mazurkiewicz, CEO at Polish Payment Standard, the operator of the BLIK mobile payment system.
BLIK is a common standard for mobile payments. Currently, virtually every customer of domestic payment institutions offering a mobile application has the option of using BLIK in mobile banking applications. Polish Payment Standard (Polski Standard Płatności, PSP) is responsible for the development of the system. PSP constantly develops BLIK's capabilities so that the system is as functional as possible. The shareholders of PSP are: Alior Bank, Bank Millennium, Santander Bank Polska, ING Bank Śląski, mBank, PKO Bank Polski, and Mastercard.
For further information, please contact:
Klaudia Rombalska
BLIK Press Office
E klaudia.rombalska@clearcom.pl
