Viva.com direct Multibanco connection gives the European payments provider a direct route into Portugal’s domestic payment network and its MB WAY mobile service. Viva.com says Portuguese merchants can access the local methods through one platform, while the direct connection is intended to improve payment processing, settlement and service control.
How the Viva.com direct Multibanco connection works
Multibanco is a central part of Portugal’s payments landscape, spanning domestic cards, ATMs and services used by consumers and merchants. MB WAY extends that local ecosystem into mobile payments. By connecting directly, Viva.com is placing its acquiring and merchant platform closer to the domestic network instead of relying on an additional intermediary for the connection.
For merchants, the visible change is access rather than a new consumer brand. Portuguese customers can continue choosing familiar local methods, while the merchant manages those transactions through Viva.com’s infrastructure. The company says the setup can support faster and more predictable settlement and a more controlled payment flow. The announcement does not provide before-and-after timing data, so those benefits should be tested against merchant reports.
Why local payment methods matter
European commerce is not served by one universal payment habit. Cards travel across borders, but domestic schemes and bank-linked mobile services can remain important because customers recognise them and trust the checkout flow. A merchant that omits a popular local method may lose customers at the final step even if its products and prices are competitive.
What direct does and does not mean
A direct network relationship can give a payment provider greater control over routing, certification, reconciliation and incident response. It may reduce dependencies between a merchant and the domestic scheme. It can also make product changes easier to coordinate because fewer organisations stand between the provider and the network.
Direct does not automatically mean cheapest, fastest or most reliable in every case. Commercial agreements can include different fees, and settlement depends on cut-off times, risk controls and merchant arrangements. Reliability must be assessed across normal traffic and peak events. Viva.com did not disclose transaction pricing, service-level commitments or merchant-level settlement data in the announcement.
Facts at a glance
| Item | Verified detail |
|---|---|
| Provider | Viva.com |
| Market | Portugal |
| Connection | Direct connection to the Multibanco payment network |
| Local services | Multibanco and MB WAY |
| Merchant proposition | Local payment acceptance through Viva.com’s platform |
| Not disclosed | Pricing, volumes, merchant count and quantified settlement improvement |
What merchants should check
Merchants should begin with eligibility and channel coverage. They need to confirm whether the method is available for their legal entity, store location, website and transaction type. Refunds, recurring payments, chargeback processes and reporting fields can differ between methods. An integration that supports a one-time online purchase may not support every subscription or marketplace use case.
The second test is reconciliation. Finance teams should examine how Multibanco and MB WAY transactions appear in dashboards, settlement reports and accounting exports. A single platform is useful only if payment status, fees, refunds and payouts can be matched without manual work. Merchants should also compare settlement timing and total cost using their own contract rather than a general announcement.
The third test is customer experience. Checkout pages should display the correct method, language and instructions across mobile and desktop. Failed or abandoned payments need clear recovery paths. Merchants can measure authorisation, completion and abandonment before and after enabling the methods, while separating changes caused by seasonality or promotions.
What to watch next
Adoption data would be the strongest follow-up. Viva.com could show how many eligible merchants enable the methods and whether checkout completion improves. Operational evidence could include settlement consistency, incident response and reconciliation accuracy. SIBS or merchant case studies could independently confirm how the direct connection performs.
For related reading, PB Pay’s merchant platform shows how payments companies widen their relationship with sellers, while RBI’s credit-bureau compensation rules illustrates why operational accountability matters across financial infrastructure.
Frequently asked questions
What did Viva.com announce in Portugal?
Viva.com announced that it connected directly to the Multibanco payment network, enabling merchant access to familiar Portuguese payment experiences including MB WAY.
Will every merchant receive faster settlement?
The company presents settlement control as a benefit, but it did not publish merchant-level timing data. Each business should verify cut-off times and payout terms in its contract.
Why is MB WAY important?
MB WAY is a familiar mobile payment option in Portugal. Supporting a locally recognised method can reduce checkout friction for customers who prefer it over an international card flow.
Primary sources: Viva.com’s announcement and Multibanco technical documentation.
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