openPR Logo
Press release

Card Payments in 2026: What Merchants Really Need to Know and Implement Now

04-16-2026 03:02 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance

Press release from: REA Card GmbH

( (C) REA Card GmbH)

( (C) REA Card GmbH)

The debate over a mandatory card payment requirement in 2026 is causing uncertainty in the retail sector--but the current situation is clearer than many headlines suggest. A fully developed legal requirement does not yet exist in Germany. The political intention is that consumers will be able to pay both in cash and digitally in the future. However, the specific legal framework remains open.

For retailers, this means: A practical approach is needed. Because regardless of legal requirements, payment behavior has already changed significantly. Even today, over 60 percent of sales in brick-and-mortar retail are made by card. At the same time, customers increasingly expect flexible payment options--the lack of card payment often leads to abandoned purchases and lost revenue.

Sectors with high customer traffic and spontaneous purchasing decisions are particularly affected, such as restaurants, bakeries, kiosks, or mobile service providers. It is precisely here that the payment method directly influences speed, service quality, and customer satisfaction.

The crucial question is therefore not whether, but when card payments can be integrated into your business. Factors such as walk-in customers, peak hours, average receipt value, or target audience influence this. Modern solutions--from brick-and-mortar terminals to mobile devices or SoftPOS--enable flexible adaptation to different locations.

Structured preparation is key: analyzing payment processes, conducting in-store testing, training staff, and ensuring support in case of technical failures.

Ultimately, the need for action is real even without a legal mandate. Those who invest now in suitable solutions and clear processes not only ensure legal compliance for the future but also immediately improve service, efficiency, and revenue potential.

For more information, suitable terminal solutions, and much more, see the REA Card guide: Mandatory Card Payments in Germany by 2026: What Merchants Need to Know - REA Card

REA Card GmbH
Teichwiesenstrasse 1
64367 Muehltal
Germany

https://www.rea-card.de/

Frau Larissa Feldmann
+49(0) 6154 / 638 - 200

presse@rea-card.de

REA Card is one of the leading providers of innovative payment and POS systems. Since 1988, the company has been developing and distributing reliable EC terminals, modern POS solutions, and high-performance software for various industries--always with a commitment to the highest quality, security, and personalized service. As a family-run business, REA Card places particular emphasis on long-term partnerships and personalized support for its customers.

This release was published on openPR.

Permanent link to this press release:

Copy
Please set a link in the press area of your homepage to this press release on openPR. openPR disclaims liability for any content contained in this release.

You can edit or delete your press release Card Payments in 2026: What Merchants Really Need to Know and Implement Now here

News-ID: 4474955 • Views: …

More Releases from REA Card GmbH

Boost Your Food Truck's Success: Process Payments Faster and Increase Revenue with a Rented Payment Terminal
Boost Your Food Truck's Success: Process Payments Faster and Increase Revenue wi …
Renting a payment terminal is often the easiest way for food trucks to increase revenue and speed up operations. More and more customers expect to pay by card or via mobile payment--those who only accept cash risk lost sales and longer lines. Especially during peak hours, every second counts: contactless payment ensures faster transactions and satisfied customers. Modern, mobile card readers are specifically designed for flexible use. They run on rechargeable…
Assessing EC Terminal Costs Realistically: Why the Lowest Initial Cost Isn't Always the Best Solution
Assessing EC Terminal Costs Realistically: Why the Lowest Initial Cost Isn't Alw …
Card payments have long been the standard in retail, the restaurant industry, and the service sector. However, when selecting a card terminal, many businesses focus primarily on the monthly base fee and overlook the fact that the actual costs are significantly more complex. The costs for an EC terminal typically consist of several components: monthly rental or equipment costs, service fees, variable transaction fees per payment, and potential additional costs for…

More Releases for Germany

Robot End Effector Market Size in 2023 To 2029 | Schunk (Germany), Schmalz (Germ …
The report offers a detailed measurement of the drivers, development, and prospects that have a direct impact on the Robot End Effector market. The market study contains an in-depth analysis of the international Robot End Effector Market based on the key boundaries that encompass the drivers, sales inquiry, market limits & share. The report further highlights assessing the market size of four key regions, namely North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and…
Germany Agriculture Market, Germany Agriculture Industry, Germany Agriculture Da …
Agriculture is important sector for the Germany’s food security and also a provider of jobs. More than half of country’s national territory is used for farming. Approximately 1 million people currently work part-time or full-time in agricultural holdings. Key agricultural products include milk, cereals, potatoes, barley, cabbages, pork, beef, poultry, wheat, and sugar beets. In some regions fruits & vegetables, wine and other horticultural products play a significant role. Agricultural…
High Voltage System Market 2020: Top Key Players Are Bosch (Germany), Continenta …
High Voltage System Market Overview: Research report on The High Voltage System Market by ‘Market Growth Insight’ covers deep analysis on key factors that directly influence the market growth including impact of COVID-19. The report is a thorough study of drivers, opportunities, restraints, challenges, and risks associated with the High Voltage System market to help the players plan their growth activities and strategies carefully, while considering these crucial factors. The High…
Product Engineering Services Market Outlook 2024 By Key Players: Accenture PLC(G …
Product Engineering Services Market reports report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the global market analysis (2019-2024). This 94 pages research study involves the extensive use of both primary interviews and secondary research data sources. The report consists of market share, size, CAGR, industry analysis, go to market strategy, SWOT analysis, sales, revenue, key players, information on products and application, competitive insights, value chain, and macroeconomic analysis etc. The product engineering is…
High Voltage System Market Scenario Highlighting Major Drivers & Trends, 2019 †…
High Voltage System Industry research report delivers a close watch on leading competitors with strategic analysis, micro and macro market trend and scenarios, pricing analysis and a holistic overview of the market situations in the forecast period. It is a professional and a detailed report focusing on primary and secondary drivers, market share, leading segments and geographical analysis. Further, key players, major collaborations, merger & acquisitions along with trending innovation…
Global Contrast Sensor Market 2025 | BALLUFF(Germany), CONTRINEX(Swizerland), Di …
Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Contrast Sensor Market Insights, Forecast to 2025" to its huge collection of research reports. The Contrast Sensor market was valued at Million US$ in 2017 and is projected to reach Million US$ by 2025, at a CAGR of during the forecast period. In this study, 2017 has been considered as the base year and 2018 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the…