PAYMENTS · A POLAND FIRST-STEPS GUIDE

BLIK for newcomers: how it works and how to stay safe

A quick introduction to Poland’s familiar payment option, the difference between a code and a phone transfer, and the checks that protect you from approving someone else’s transaction.

By Sergio Carcamo · Updated 9 October 2026 · 6 min read

If someone in Poland asks, “Can you send me BLIK?”, they may mean a quick payment through a banking app. BLIK is a payment system available through participating banks. It is a payment option, not a separate bank account. Features and setup vary by bank, so check your own bank’s current instructions.

Paying with a BLIK code

For a typical online payment:

Choose BLIK at checkout.
Open your bank’s app and generate a code.
Enter the code on the checkout page you opened.
Read the transaction details in your bank app. Confirm only when the amount and merchant match what you intended.

At a shop or ATM, follow the instructions shown by the terminal and your bank app. BLIK also offers contactless payments and other features, but availability and activation steps depend on your bank. Read BLIK’s official how-to guide and your bank’s instructions.

A phone transfer is different from sharing a code

Some banks let you register your phone number to receive a transfer and send money to another registered number. In the app, use the phone-transfer option, check the recipient and amount, and confirm. Your bank determines whether this feature is available and how it works.

This is different from giving another person the temporary BLIK code used to authorize a transaction. A person asking for that code is not asking you to make a normal transfer to their phone.

The safety rule: Never share a BLIK code with another person—not with a buyer, seller, stranger, or someone whose social account appears to be a friend. Check the transaction details in your bank app before confirming. BLIK’s safety guidance says to keep codes private and verify unexpected requests.

If a buyer asks you for your code

Pause. A buyer does not need your code to pay you. Do not enter or approve a transaction to “receive” money. Use the marketplace’s official payment flow or your bank’s normal method for receiving funds. Avoid links sent by strangers that ask you to enter bank credentials.

If you already shared or approved something

Contact your bank promptly using the number or secure support channel in its official app or website. Explain what happened and follow the bank’s instructions. Keep relevant messages and transaction details. If you suspect a crime, report it to the police. Do not approve another transaction while someone is pressuring you.

Quick checklist

Use a code only in a payment flow you started.
Never send the code in a chat or tell it to a caller.
Check the amount and merchant, ATM, or other details in your banking app.
Verify unexpected requests by contacting the person through a separate channel.
Follow your own bank’s current instructions; app menus and features differ.

Official sources

This is general information, not banking advice. BLIK features and security instructions can change. Sources last checked 9 October 2026; use your bank’s current guidance.