Europe Is Back in the Card Payment Industry

STELLA: the first European Payment Card, made in Europe, for Europe

Europe, it’s time to lead again.

For decades, Europe has quietly ceded control of its payment infrastructure to foreign players. Our cards are processed on non-European rails. Our transaction data crosses borders. Our fees fund distant economies. Today, 65% of card transactions in Europe are routed through just two American companies. This is not only a commercial issue but also a question of sovereignty.

“Lacking a genuine European payment solution that works across the euro area, we are left critically dependent on foreign payment providers” – P.Cipollone (2025) – Member of the ECB’s Executive Board

Now it’s time to act and STELLA is one of Europe’s answer. STELLA stands for “Sovereign Technical European initiative Leveraging Local Assets”. A bold initiative to launch a new, pan-European payment card—leveraging domestic payment networks.

Born in Europe, built for Europe, STELLA empowers European banks, merchants, governments, and consumers with an alternative built on trust, interoperability, transparency, and technological independence.

We are not starting from scratch. Europe already has over 300 million cards powered by local card schemes in circulation. STELLA connects them. STELLA scales them. STELLA strengthens them.

The promise of STELLA – A progressive deployment

● A multi-application card offering access to local domestic networks for in-store and online purchases across several countries

● A full interoperability with Visa or Mastercard abroad—but only where necessary.

● A digital wallet solution designed to bypass global tech dependencies.

● A cooperative governance structure—open, transparent, and European-led.

Not just another card. A global movement.

We are building a better payment ecosystem. One that aligns with Europe’s values:

● Sustainability, by keeping financial value in local ecosystems.

● Inclusion, by offering merchants and consumers citizens access to simple, affordable European payment tools.

● Resilience, by ensuring Europe’s independence from foreign networks.

We are building Europe’s next-generation payment card. And we are not doing it alone. Today ByQwest and several other major players have expressed their commitment to this project.

Join the movement. Because Europe deserves more than just a seat at the table—it deserves to lead.

STELLA: Orchestrating Europe’s comeback in card payments.

www.STELLAcard.org