New era at the Sziget Festival: Payment system fully overhauled

The 2025 Sziget Festival is entering a new digital era: for the first time, all food vendors will operate exclusively with Android-based payment terminals. The innovation promises faster and more secure transactions while providing organisers with real-time data.

Digital leap at Sziget Festival

As Portfolio reports, this year’s Sziget Festival is raising the bar for visitor experience with the exclusive use of Android-based terminals at every food stall. This move is set to make payments quicker and more efficient. Behind the development is Festipay, a company that has long provided cashless systems for events. Beyond added convenience, the technology enables organisers to respond in real time to sales trends: for example, if an item suddenly becomes popular, vendors can restock more swiftly.

Faster, more secure transactions

Festipay is present at the festival this year with a record-setting deployment of more than 1,000 terminals and nearly 300 staff. The company has implemented its own switching system, allowing it to manage the entire banking transaction process in-house. This is especially crucial during high-traffic periods—like right before headliner concerts—when thousands try to pay simultaneously.

The new system isn’t just faster, it’s also more secure. Festipay notes that daily foot traffic has been more balanced this year, thanks in part to the growing number of single-day ticket holders—posing new logistical and technological challenges for Sziget organisers.

One wristband is all you need

Another standout innovation is the widespread adoption of wristband-based payments. Festivalgoers can now use their wristbands not just to enter the venue, but also to buy food, shop, and even redeem discounts. Thanks to Festipay’s system, wristbands can effectively replace bank cards: once loaded, they allow guests to move around safely and conveniently all day.

This solution is particularly useful in a festival environment, where speed and flexibility are key. The rollout of a digital coupon system further simplifies administrative tasks for performers and crew members, eliminating the need for paper-based processes altogether.

Sziget Festival is just one of many events where Festipay is active—this year alone, the company has served nearly 70 events, ranging from culinary to artistic and sports gatherings. Founded in Hungary, the company now operates in 13 countries and counts high-profile events like the Bahrain Formula 1 and UNTOLD Dubai in its portfolio.

The adoption of digital payments, however, requires more than just tech upgrades—it demands ongoing education. Users must understand how these systems work, including the fact that not all transactions process instantly. That’s why Festipay is not only a service provider but also an educator—and Sziget offers the ideal testbed to refine these solutions in action.

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