Multibanco Reference is a payment method that allows customers to complete a payment using a generated reference at an ATM, home banking platform, or mobile banking application within the Multibanco network.

In a one-off payment scenario, the merchant generates a payment reference for a specific transaction amount. The customer completes the payment separately using the provided entity, reference, and amount. The transaction is finalized only after the payment is executed by the customer.

Unlike real-time payment methods, Multibanco Reference payments are completed asynchronously.

How It Works

In a typical Multibanco Reference one-off payment flow:

1. The merchant initiates a payment request through the SIBS Payment Gateway.
2. A unique Multibanco entity and reference are generated for the specified amount.
3. The reference details are presented to the customer.
4. The customer completes the payment through an ATM, online banking, or mobile banking.
5. Once the payment is processed within the Multibanco network, the transaction is confirmed.
6. The final status is communicated to the merchant system.

Customer interaction occurs outside the merchant’s checkout environment, and payment completion depends on the customer executing the reference payment within the defined validity period.

Workflow Characteristics

The Multibanco Reference one-off flow has the following characteristics:

• Customer-initiated payment
• Asynchronous confirmation
• Payment completed outside checkout
• No real-time authorization step
• Settlement triggered upon confirmed payment

The transaction remains pending until the customer executes the payment. If the reference expires without payment, the transaction is marked accordingly.

Transaction Lifecycle

The lifecycle of a Multibanco Reference one-off payment typically includes:

• Payment reference generation
• Pending payment
• Paid (successful)
• Expired or cancelled

The transaction is considered successful only after confirmation is received from the Multibanco network.

Use Cases

Multibanco Reference one-off payments are commonly used in:

• E-commerce environments where customers prefer offline or banking-channel payments
• Invoice-based payments
• Government and public sector services
• Utilities and recurring billing with manual payment
• High-value transactions requiring customer confirmation outside checkout

This payment method is particularly suited for environments where:

• Customers prefer not to use cards
• Payment does not need to be confirmed instantly
• A delayed or manual payment experience is acceptable

Integration Context

Within the SIBS Payment Gateway, Multibanco Reference is supported as an asynchronous one-off payment method. The merchant system must handle status updates and notifications to determine when a transaction is successfully completed.

The following sections describe the technical integration flow, required parameters, and notification handling for Multibanco Reference payments.