How to sell to customers in Belgium

How people pay online

• Bancontact accounts for about 65% of Belgian e-commerce, and 18 million Bancontact cards are in circulation. 1
• Bancontact was used for 382 million online payments in 2024, and 90% of online Bancontact payments were made with a smartphone. 2

Taking payments from abroad

• Stripe accounts in the US, Canada, Mexico, UK, Switzerland, Australia, Japan, Singapore and most EEA countries can accept Bancontact from customers in Belgium, charged in EUR. 3
• Bancontact payments taken through Stripe cannot be disputed as chargebacks, because the customer authenticates with their bank; refunds are possible for up to 730 days. 3
• Through Stripe, Klarna is available to customers in Belgium in EUR only when the seller's Stripe account is in the EEA, the UK or Switzerland. 4

Import tax and duty on parcels

• Goods shipped from outside the EU to buyers in Belgium in consignments worth up to €150 (excluding excise goods) can go through the EU Import One Stop Shop (IOSS), and a seller based outside the EU must appoint an EU intermediary to use it. 5
• Since 1 July 2026 the EU no longer exempts consignments of up to €150 from customs duty, and items in those consignments sold as distance sales to buyers in Belgium now carry a temporary fixed customs duty of €3 per item. 6
• Belgium's standard VAT rate is 21%, with reduced rates of 6% and 12%. 7

Where to reach buyers

• YouTube ads could reach 9.08 million people in Belgium in late 2025, 77.2% of the population. 8
• Facebook ads reached 6.20 million people in Belgium (52.7% of the population) and Instagram ads 5.10 million (43.4%) in late 2025. 8
• TikTok ads reached 4.03 million adults aged 18 and over in Belgium in late 2025 (42.5% of that age group), and Snapchat ads 4.29 million people (36.4% of the population). 8

Marketplaces

• Bol presents itself to sellers as reaching 13 million potential customers in the Netherlands and Belgium. 9
• Bol's terms for professional sellers require them to be established in the Netherlands or Belgium, registered there, and to have a Dutch or Belgian postal address. 10
• Amazon opened Amazon.com.be on 18 October 2022, with more than 180 million products and shopping in French, Flemish or English. 11

Common questions

1. How do people in Belgium pay online?

   Bancontact accounts for about 65% of Belgian e-commerce, and 18 million Bancontact cards are in circulation. More on payments

2. Can a business outside Belgium accept the payment methods people there use?

   Stripe accounts in the US, Canada, Mexico, UK, Switzerland, Australia, Japan, Singapore and most EEA countries can accept Bancontact from customers in Belgium, charged in EUR. More on taking payments

3. Do customers in Belgium pay import tax or duty on goods bought from abroad?

   Goods shipped from outside the EU to buyers in Belgium in consignments worth up to €150 (excluding excise goods) can go through the EU Import One Stop Shop (IOSS), and a seller based outside the EU must appoint an EU intermediary to use it. More on import tax

4. Where should a business advertise to reach buyers in Belgium?

   YouTube ads could reach 9.08 million people in Belgium in late 2025, 77.2% of the population. More on ads

5. Which online marketplaces are biggest in Belgium?

   Bol presents itself to sellers as reaching 13 million potential customers in the Netherlands and Belgium. More on marketplaces