CCD II in Practice: How Unzer is Preparing Purchase on Account and Instalment Purchases for the New Requirements

More transparency at checkout and targeted technical adaptations behind the scenes: this is how we are implementing the requirements of the new EU Consumer Credit Directive (CCD II) for purchase on account and instalment purchases.

With the second EU Consumer Credit Directive (CCD II), new requirements will apply to purchase on account, instalment purchases, and “Buy Now, Pay Later” from 20 November 2026. The effort required for Unzer merchants remains manageable, as we are implementing the majority of the regulatory and technical adjustments centrally. Below, we present two areas in which we have further developed our existing processes and systems.

Greater Transparency in Instalment Purchases

CCD II clearly stipulates which information consumers must receive before concluding a contract. We have therefore specifically expanded our instalment plan presentation at checkout and in debtor communication.

End customers already see additional details about the instalment amount, terms, payment dates, and the total amount during the purchase process.

These adjustments have been implemented to enable merchants to integrate them into existing checkout processes with minimal effort. At the same time, this ensures a consistent presentation throughout the entire payment process – from purchase to invoice or dunning communication. This strengthens customer trust and reduces customer service queries.

Improved Risk Assessment through Open Banking

CCD II requires a more thorough creditworthiness assessment by lenders in relevant cases. To achieve this depth of content without unnecessarily affecting conversion rates, we have expanded our verification infrastructure. You do not need to establish any corresponding verification mechanisms on your side.

We use open banking procedures (Account Information Service), enabled via two-factor authentication (in addition to SMS and PhotoIdent). With the buyer’s consent, we can use account information to better assess their financial situation and make more informed credit decisions.

It is important to know: two-factor authentication is used only in cases where the relevant criteria apply or where credit reference agencies do not provide a clear picture. Instead of issuing blanket rejections, this allows us to make more nuanced decisions about such transactions, so that more customers can use their preferred payment method. Thanks to technical integration, relevant information is available in real time and decisions are made automatically within a few seconds.

What This Means for Merchants

Both functions operate in the background. Merchants using Unzer payment pages or plugins therefore automatically benefit from the improved assessments and more precise decisions, without any additional implementation effort. If you use a direct API connection or our UI Components, we recommend integrating two-factor authentication for secured payment methods as soon as possible. The relevant Unzer teams will be happy to support you with this.

For more information on the requirements of CCD II and for a step-by-step guide for merchants, please refer to our CCD II Guide and FAQ section.