Bluecode

What Bluecode does

Bluecode (legally Blue Code International AG) is a Swiss-headquartered independent European mobile payment scheme founded in 2017 in Lachen, Switzerland, with operating offices in Vienna and Innsbruck, Austria, and a regional entity in Lagos, Nigeria. The company operates an account-based payment system that enables consumers to pay via NFC, QR code, or barcode without credit or debit card intermediaries, routing transactions through partner banks while keeping processing and data within Europe under GDPR. Its consumer-facing products include the Bluecode App, the prepaid Bluecode Balance (managed by Calida Financial as e-money institution), and the BlueScan merchant acceptance app.

The core technical platform is built around "Payment Roaming," a connectivity framework that allows European-scheme transactions to ride on global partner networks (Discover Global Network for NFC at 70M+ merchants, Alipay+ for QR at up to 88M+ merchants, UnionPay for cross-border, EMPSA-member schemes for European interoperability). The November 2025 launch of the Payment Interoperability Hub extends the platform into interoperability infrastructure serving multiple networks. A Bluecode SDK is embedded into partner banking apps (Raiffeisen, Oberbank, BTV, BKS Bank), loyalty apps (jö Bonus Club, Müller, mobile-pocket), merchant apps (Kaufland), sports fan apps (OneFootball, FC Augsburg, TSG Hoffenheim, KSC, Adler Mannheim), and mobility (ryd). Security relies on one-time anonymous transaction codes readable only by authorized partner banks, and full offline payment functionality is supported.

Bluecode's revenue is generated through transaction fees on merchant acceptance (routed via acquirer partners, principally Calida Financial since January 2026), SDK licensing and Fair-Share revenue shares to partner apps, and Payment Roaming network fees for cross-network processing. The consumer app is free; merchants pay transaction-based fees through acquiring partners with no fixed costs. The company serves four primary segments: European consumers, banks and financial institutions (issuers and acquirers), merchants and retailers, and app developers/platforms embedding the SDK, with a secondary geographic segment in African financial markets via Bluecode Payments Nigeria Limited. Total disclosed funding is approximately €45M+ across 2018, 2019, and 2021 rounds, with the 2021 €20M round led by Hopp Family Office; the company remains privately held.

Name

Bluecode

Legal name

Blue Code International AG

Website

https://bluecode.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Bluecode is a Swiss-headquartered independent European mobile payment scheme offering account-based NFC, QR, and barcode payments via its app, SDK, and Payment Roaming network. It serves European consumers, banks, merchants, and partner apps across Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, and Italy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mobile Payment Platform

NAICS

Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320), Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

QR Code Payments Wallets (FSAMAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Embedded Payments (Pay-ins, Pay-outs, Wallets) (FSAGALAB), Multi-Currency Accounts, Wallets & IBAN Services (FSAMAIAG)

Keywords

• Mobile payment platform
• European payment scheme
• Contactless payment network
• Payment interoperability hub
• Mobile payment SDK

Headquarters

HQ city

Lachen

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Transaction Fees: Bluecode charges merchants transaction fees through its acquiring partner network (e.g., Calida Financial). Merchants pay competitive transaction fees when accepting Bluecode payments. Bluecode as the scheme processes these transactions and earns a portion of the interchange.
2. SDK Licensing and Integration Fees: Bluecode offers its SDK for integration into partner apps (banking apps, loyalty apps, merchant apps). Partners can integrate Bluecode payments and earn revenue through a Fair-Share model - earning a share of each transaction made through their app.
3. Payment Roaming Network Fees: Revenue generated from the Payment Roaming hub connecting 60+ local networks to 200+ million acceptance points globally. Bluecode earns network fees for enabling cross-network and cross-border payment processing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Bluecode operates an independent European mobile payment scheme that enables account-based payments via NFC, QR code, and barcode without requiring credit or debit cards. It offers the Bluecode App and Bluecode Balance for consumers, the BlueScan app for merchant acceptance, and the Bluecode SDK for embedding payment functionality into partner banking, loyalty, merchant, and wallet applications. Global reach is enabled through proprietary Payment Roaming technology that connects European processing to Discover Network (70M+ merchants) and Alipay+ (88M+ merchants) while keeping data sovereignty in Europe.

Product overview

Bluecode is a unified European mobile payment platform offering multiple integrated products: the core Bluecode App for consumer mobile payments (NFC, QR, barcode) with both account-based and prepaid (Bluecode Balance) options; BlueScan for merchant acceptance; the Payment Interoperability Hub for cross-network connectivity; Payment Roaming for global reach via Discover Network and Alipay+ (connecting 60+ local networks and 200 million+ acceptance points); and the Bluecode SDK for embedding payment capabilities into partner banking, loyalty, and merchant applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bluecode App The primary Bluecode consumer mobile application enabling account-based mobile payments via NFC, QR code, and barcode. Supports direct bank account connections and prepaid balance top-ups, and works across Europe and globally through partner networks (Discover Network, Alipay+). Free for end users.
• Bluecode Balance A prepaid e-money account feature within the Bluecode app, managed by partner Calida Financial (a licensed e-money institution in Malta). Users top up a balance and use it for all Bluecode payments without requiring a partner bank account, enabling Bluecode for all European users regardless of their bank.
• BlueScan

Quantifiable outcome

• Payments processed at UEFA EURO 2024 demonstrating live cross-border interoperability
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered secondary and core.

• Kingsley Chiedu MoghalusecondaryOthers · 11 June 2026Professor Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, appointed as Chairman of Advisory Board of Bluecode Payments Nigeria Limited. Strategic governance appointment aligned with CBN's Payments System Vision 2028 for expanding into Nigerian market.
• Calida FinancialcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 21 January 2026Calida Financial, a licensed e-money institution headquartered in Malta, expanded from being a Bluecode issuing partner (since July 2025) to also become an acquiring partner processing merchant transactions. Partnership enables merchants to accept Bluecode payments with competitive transaction fees and seamless integration across Europe. Calida also manages the Bluecode Balance e-money product.
• UnionPaysecondaryTechnology or Integration · 28 November 2025Bluecode signed cross-border payment cooperation agreement with UnionPay at their Global Partners Conference 2025 in Shanghai. Part of UnionPay's Joint Initiative on Open Payments building a connected global payment network under the New Four-Party Model.
• The Payments Group (TPG)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 24 July 2025The Payments Group became the first pan-European issuer of the Bluecode payment system. Partnership provides residents of all Euro-zone countries access to a mobile prepaid payment solution developed entirely in Europe - an alternative to dominant international card systems.
• rydsecondaryTechnology or Integration · 15 January 2025Partnership enabling Bluecode payments at more than 5,000 gas stations across Germany and Austria. Drivers can pay for fuel directly through the Bluecode app and other Bluecode-enabled apps using ryd's in-car payment and digital fueling technology.
• Discover Global Network (Discover/Diners Club)coreTechnology or Integration · 26 November 2024Strategic cooperation enabling Bluecode payments at over 70 million acceptance points in the Discover Global Network worldwide. Bluecode leverages Payment Roaming to enable NFC payments on iOS and Android through this partnership. All transactions maintain European scheme processing while accepting at Discover merchants globally.
• Bancomat (Italy)coreTechnology or Integration · 9 May 2024EMPSA-member partnership enabling users of Bluecode and Bancomat to pay seamlessly in each other's acceptance networks. Cross-border interoperability achieved through EMPSA-defined technical, commercial, and legal standards. Live at UEFA EURO 2024 demonstrating pan-European payment interoperability.
• Alipay+ (Ant International)coreTechnology or Integration · 17 April 2024International partnership making Bluecode the first Alipay+ partner enabling interoperable payments. Allows Alipay+ merchants to accept digital payments from over 300 Bluecode-connected banks in Germany and Austria. Enables Bluecode users to pay at up to 88 million Alipay+ merchants globally, particularly in Asia. Interoperability launched ahead of UEFA EURO 2024.
• OneFootballcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 October 2023Co-development of OneFootball Pay by Bluecode, a mobile payment feature integrated into the OneFootball app. Enabled seamless payments in stadiums and fan zones during UEFA EURO 2024 for merchandise, food, and beverages. After the tournament, OneFootball Pay continues providing payment experience for fans during regular football matches.
• EMPSA (European Mobile Payment Systems Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Bluecode co-founded EMPSA to connect existing national payment schemes across Europe, creating a pan-European payment ecosystem. EMPSA now brings together more than a dozen national payment systems ensuring cross-border payment acceptance without non-European infrastructure. Bluecode developed interoperability standards used by EMPSA.
• Secure Payment Technologies GmbHsecondaryOthersEU data protection representative (Art. 27 GDPR) for Blue Code International AG. Contact point for supervisory authorities and data subjects in all questions related to EU data protection law. Registered in Innsbruck, Austria.
• hobexsecondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDigital onboarding partner that co-developed the merchant self-service signup form with Bluecode, enabling merchants to register and start accepting Bluecode in approximately 15 minutes.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• TWINT: Swiss mobile payment app offering account-based QR/NFC payments from bank accounts; the most direct domestic peer to Bluecode, sharing Swiss market, EMPSA membership, and a similar consumer-proposition.
• Satispay: Italian account-based mobile payment network operating independently of card networks, with merchant and consumer apps; closely mirrors Bluecode's account-based, no-card model and is also a Bancomat/EMPSA ecosystem participant.
• MobilePay (Vipps MobilePay): Nordic mobile payment network formed from the merger of Vipps (Norway) and MobilePay (Denmark/Finland), offering P2P and in-store QR payments via bank integration — a directly comparable European mobile-only payment scheme.
• Payconiq International: Benelux-focused mobile payment scheme offering QR-based bank-account payments, with EMPSA membership; directly comparable in product (QR account payments) and target market (European retailers and consumers).
• Swish: Sweden's bank-owned mobile payment service, account-based and deeply integrated with Swedish banks; another EMPSA-aligned national scheme that is a directly comparable European peer.

Broad incumbents

• Apple Pay: Global digital wallet built into iOS, accepted at virtually all NFC terminals; represents the dominant consumer-side incumbent Bluecode must displace for in-store mobile payment share.
• Google Pay: Android-native digital wallet with global NFC and online acceptance; second major device-level incumbent competing for the same European consumer payment occasions.

Emerging players

• European Payments Initiative (Wero): Bank-led European initiative to build a unified P2P and e-commerce payment solution across Eurozone countries; competing for the same 'sovereign European payments' positioning as Bluecode, with substantially larger institutional backing.

Others

• Discover Global Network: International card scheme and Bluecode's global acceptance partner (70M+ merchants); adjacent rather than competitive — relevant peer because it represents the route through which Bluecode reaches NFC acceptance globally.
• Alipay+ (Ant International): Ant International's global QR payment network reaching 88M+ merchants; a Bluecode partner and adjacent ecosystem player that is also building cross-network payment acceptance rails relevant to Bluecode's model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bluecodepayment
• Instagraminstagram.com/bluecodeapp
• Xx.com/bluecodepayment
• Facebookfacebook.com/Blue-Code-1451198721850748

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bluecode