CEE Expansion: Why Choosing a Bank for Payment Acceptance Is a Smart Move

Retailers expanding into CEE, particularly in non-EU countries such as Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, and Bosnia, face a maze of regulatory frameworks, fragmented markets, and different currencies. “Payment acceptance is not a typical banking product because you don’t need a bank license,” explains Thomas Grabner, Head of Sales & Growth for Raiffeisen Payment Solutions at RBI. “But a common misconception is that fintech PSPs always outperform banks,” he says. “While e‑commerce can be delivered as a centralized digital service, physical POS acquiring requires local licensing, local compliance, and on‑the‑ground infrastructure.”

“Our local presence is a key differentiator,” Thomas Grabner notes. “With around 1,300 business outlets and 42,000 employees across CEE countries (as of 2026), we have granular insight into local regulations and structures. Our dual role as both acquirer and major card issuer in many CEE markets allows us to negotiate scheme fees effectively, reducing costs for our clients,” he explains. With frame agreements, local settlement, and harmonized technical integration retailers benefit from economies of scale and simplified reporting. “One acquirer for many markets means less administrative overhead and faster expansion.” 

Fintech providers often rely on partner banks for licensing and settlement, keeping banks the backbone of the payment ecosystem anyway. “Banks have direct access to local clearing systems, enabling faster settlement cycles and lower domestic processing costs,” Andreja Gladovic, Payment Acceptance Business Development Lead at RBI explains.

“With RBI, merchants benefit from one integration, one commercial relationship, and a harmonized solution spanning multiple countries,” she summarizes “Unlike pure payment companies that require country-by-country licensing and partnerships, and thus often neglect smaller markets, we can offer all these services through our banking network, dramatically simplifying cross-border expansion for merchants.”

When choosing a large banking group like RBI for payment acceptance merchants can rely on financial solidity, rigorous risk management, and resilient infrastructure. “Our decades-long presence and strong capital base ensure operational continuity and reduce merchant risk exposure,” says Thomas Grabner. Trusted governance and high credit ratings further enhance RBI’s reliability as a payment acceptance partner.

“Working with one partner supporting both traditional banking products and payment acceptance offers transparency, stability, and bundled services that pure players cannot match,” says Thomas Grabner. When payment acceptance solutions are, for example, combined with cash management products, merchants can improve their liquidity planning and make their treasury operations more efficient with faster access to funds, integrated reconciliation, and real-time visibility.

The CEE region still has different currencies that need to be handled efficiently. “With our centralized solutions clients benefit from clearing and settlement in local currencies in all markets,” Andreja Gladovic says. “Combined with our structured FX solutions, clients also have access to tailored hedging products and profit from a more predictable cash flow.”

With a sophisticated omnichannel payment acceptance solution RBI unifies POS, e-commerce, and SoftPOS processing on a single platform, reducing integration efforts and enabling centralized reporting and dispute management. “We are operating our own processing centers, fully owned and controlled by RBI Group, which leads to lower processing unit cost for our clients.”

For retailers expanding in CEE, partnering with a bank like RBI offers unmatched advantages: one integration for multiple markets, deep local expertise, operational efficiency, and financial stability. As Thomas Grabner concludes, “In a fragmented and complex region, banks remain the most reliable and cost-effective partners for payment acceptance.”