Nexi Expands pagoPA Network: New Smart PA App to Turn Italian Retailers into Payment Hubs

Quick Summary

Nexi is launching Nexi Smart PA, a free app allowing Italian merchants to accept pagoPA payments directly via SmartPOS terminals. This expansion enables citizens to pay utility bills, taxes, and school fees at hundreds of thousands of local retail stores, significantly increasing the accessibility of digital public administration services.

How Does Nexi Smart PA Simplify Public Administration Payments?

Nexi Smart PA solves the accessibility gap for Italian citizens by turning everyday retail locations into payment hubs. By downloading the app onto existing SmartPOS terminals, merchants can process pagoPA notices for healthcare, education, and utilities. This move targets the 55% of users who still prefer physical payment channels over digital ones. Key benefits include:

• Free app access for all Nexi SmartPOS merchants starting Summer 2026.
• Increased foot traffic for local retailers offering value-added services.
• Seamless integration for healthcare tickets, fines, and administrative charges.

What Results Has the pagoPA Infrastructure Delivered?

The pagoPA payments ecosystem has seen explosive growth, scaling from 45 million transactions in 2019 to 450 million in 2025. Nexi’s infrastructure now supports a massive physical footprint to maintain this momentum. Current network metrics include:

• 3,000 retail locations already enabled across fuel and large-scale brands.
• 1,000 pharmacies currently accepting healthcare ticket payments.
• 8,500 POS terminals and 750 self-service totems connected for public bodies.

“Transactions on pagoPA have grown from approximately 45 million in 2019 to around 450 million in 2025, with an increase of over 6% in the last year alone, demonstrating how this infrastructure is becoming increasingly central for citizens - said Roberto Catanzaro, Chief Business Officer, Merchant Solutions, Nexi Group - As a system player, Nexi has always been committed to making payments to the Public Administration simpler, more accessible and more widespread. Smart PA is part of this journey, complementing the many solutions we have already developed to facilitate the adoption of digital payments to the PA and to support the country’s digitalisation”.

What is the Future Outlook for Digital PA Payments?

Nexi estimates that pagoPA payments will exceed 600 million transactions by 2030. To meet this demand, the company is installing an additional 600 POS devices for local public service operators. By bridging the gap between online and physical channels, Nexi ensures that even non-digital-native citizens can participate in the country's digital transformation through their local shopkeeper.

FF NEWS TAKE:

This move by Nexi definitely moves the needle for Italian financial inclusion. While many fintechs focus solely on mobile-first solutions, Nexi recognizes that 55% of pagoPA payments still happen in person. By weaponizing the existing merchant network with Nexi Smart PA, they are effectively turning every corner shop into a mini-bank branch, securing their dominance in the Italian public sector payment ecosystem for years to come.