The Instant Payments Regulation (IPR) marks a pivotal shift for the European payments landscape, demanding both speed and precision in implementation. In this context, we aimed to gain a deeper understanding of how Belgian banks are gearing up for the regulation and their perspectives on the opportunities it offers. To do so, we conducted a benchmark survey, convened a panel discussion with key stakeholders from the industry, and facilitated a roundtable dialogue to capture both quantitative data and qualitative insights.  

This paper has three main objectives: 

1. To share the benchmark results and reflect on the current maturity of the Belgian banking sector in responding to the IPR – looking beyond compliance alone. 
2. To explore the key challenges and opportunities arising across three core dimensions: initiating and receiving instant payments, sanction screening, and verification of payee. 
3. To offer our perspective on what the path to compliance looks like – and more importantly, how banks can translate compliance into long-term value.