Testaankoop urges festivals to accept euros over proprietary tokens
Belgian consumer organization Testaankoop has renewed its push for festivals to accept payments directly in euros rather than forcing visitors to use proprietary digital currencies. After conducting on-site research at Belgian festivals throughout summer 2026, the organization argues that token systems create unnecessary complexity and hidden costs for consumers, according to VRT NWS.
The token problem
Many major festivals rely on mandatory cashless systems where visitors can only pay with a festival-specific digital currency. Testaankoop says it is “not a fan, especially when that currency is difficult to convert to euros.” The organization’s own research found that each major Belgian festival operates its own payment ecosystem: Tomorrowland uses “Pearls,” Rock Werchter works with “Coins,” and Graspop Metal Meeting uses “Skullies.”
Laura Clays, spokesperson for Testaankoop, highlighted the complexity at Tomorrowland as a prime example. “On Tomorrowland you can only buy your Pearls in increments of 20 euros, for which you get 10.5 Pearls,” she said. “A Strawberry Matcha Latte costs 4.5 Pearls and a Jupiler 0.0 costs 2.25 Pearls.”
The organization points out that food and drink stands generally display prices in euros anyway, questioning why festivals don’t simply work in euros directly. “Fortunately, the food and drink stands generally also display the price in euros,” Clays said. “But why make it difficult when festivals can also just work in euros, like at Paradise City or Ronquières?”
Consumer frustration is widespread
Testaankoop’s concerns are backed by survey data. In a poll conducted in spring 2026, 64 percent of respondents said festival tokens make it harder to track their spending. The organization also highlights that festivals like Francofolies in Spa and Brosella in Brussels already demonstrate that accepting regular card, phone, or cash payments works effectively.
Beyond the mental math required to convert token values, Testaankoop warns about the high administrative fees charged to recover leftover balances. Refund fees range from €1 at Paradise City and Esperanzah to €3.50 at Dour, Graspop, and Rock Werchter, and up to €4 at Les Ardentes, according to the organization’s detailed findings.
Legal requirements and regulatory backdrop
Belgian law already requires that prices on festival grounds be clearly displayed in euros, even when a festival uses its own currency. Organizers are also required to accept cash. The Economic Inspection previously ruled in 2023 that refund fees are not disproportionate, though then-State Secretary for Consumer Protection Alexia Bertrand stressed that fees must be reasonable, as VRT NWS reported at the time.
In July 2025, Minister of Consumer Protection Rob Beenders introduced a voluntary Festival Charter encouraging festivals to accept regular bank cards, make currency conversions simple, and keep costs of proprietary systems low. Live Nation Belgium signed the charter, making it applicable to Rock Werchter and other major festivals. However, the charter remains voluntary, and even signatories like Rock Werchter continue to use non-round currency values, as Vooruit party materials acknowledge.
What’s next
Testaankoop has submitted all its findings to the Economic Inspection, which could potentially lead to fines or mandated changes to festival payment systems. Minister Beenders has previously threatened harder measures, including a possible ban on prepaid cards, if voluntary agreements don’t yield results, as Eventplanner reported.
The debate reflects a broader tension between consumer convenience and festival business models. While organizers argue cashless systems speed up service and reduce theft risks, Testaankoop contends they primarily benefit organizers financially through activation fees, minimum top-up amounts, and refund charges.
As the summer festival season winds down, the question now is whether regulatory pressure will force major events like Tomorrowland, Rock Werchter, and Graspop to reconsider their proprietary currency systems. For festival-goers who have grown tired of doing mental currency conversions between beers and lattes, the answer may determine whether next summer’s festival experience feels more like a celebration and less like a math exam.