Millions of account holders at AIB, Bank of Ireland and PTSB will see instant person-to-person transfers added to their existing banking apps, simplifying bill splits and repayments without IBAN details. As of Monday at 2: 30 p. m. ET, the zippay irish banks service is beginning a phased rollout this week coordinated by the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland.
AIB, Bank of Ireland and PTSB customers get instant transfers
Eligible customers across the three domestic banks can send, request, and split payments instantly using the mobile numbers of contacts who are also on the service, with potential reach exceeding five million customer accounts.
Usage will include daily and per-transaction limits: users can send up to €1, 000 per day and request up to €500 per transaction (all amounts in euros).
Delivery inside existing mobile banking apps removes the need to top up a separate digital wallet or download another app, and banks say the feature carries the same security protections and digital safety standards customers already use.
Zippay Irish Banks Service: What launches this week and how it works
The launch begins on a phased basis from Tuesday, and while it may take about a week for the feature to appear for all mobile banking users at the three lenders, payments can still be sent to their accounts in the meantime.
At signup, the service links to a user’s primary account by default, with the option to switch and attach it to another account if preferred.
Contact lists drive the experience: the feature identifies which saved mobile numbers also use Zippay, enabling transfers without setting up new payees or entering IBAN, BIC, or account numbers.
That approach differs from the Single Euro Payments Area instant credit framework, which requires an IBAN; here, the mobile-number match is designed to make everyday transactions faster and less error-prone. Banks describe the zippay irish banks service as a quicker way to reimburse friends, family, and contacts for shared expenses.
Nexi and BPFI set the path for wider bank participation
Zippay is not a new joint-venture app. Instead, European paytech group Nexi provides the service to the banks and it is integrated directly into their existing mobile apps.
After the initial launch, Zippay will be offered on a non-discriminatory basis to any financial institution in Ireland that provides IBAN account services and a mobile app, with Nexi managing integration for eligible providers that choose to join.
The three banks are positioning the service as a domestic alternative to popular instant-payment apps, aiming to compete with Revolut—now with more than three million customers in Ireland—as well as N26.
Previous efforts to create a separate, shared payments app—an initiative begun in 2020 and ended in 2023 after regulatory delays and a founding member’s withdrawal—have been replaced by this embedded approach inside existing banking apps.
Customers will receive information by email or in-app notifications as the phased rollout continues, including details on activation and usage once their app is enabled.
If the phased rollout holds, most mobile banking users at the three lenders should see the feature within roughly a week, with broader onboarding of other institutions to follow after the initial launch window.
