Since 2019 we can use Apple Pay in the Netherlands. First at ING, but soon other banks such as ABN AMRO, Rabobank and smaller parties such as bunq followed with official support in the Netherlands. Google Pay is now also available in the Netherlands at a number of banks and paying with a wearable via, for example, Fitbit Pay and Garmin Pay is also possible. The Dutch Payments Association has now announced the percentage of payments made in this way. For the first time, contactless payment with a smartphone or wearable is more popular than inserting a debit card.
Apple Pay and Google Pay more popular than inserting a debit card
In a graph, the Dutch Payments Association shows how the payment methods have evolved since the introduction of Apple Pay in the Netherlands. The first measurements are from January 2019. Despite the fact that some banks already offered contactless payment via Android, this was hardly used. Since the start of Apple Pay in June 2019, cardless payment has been gaining popularity.
Since June 2021, paying via your smartphone or smartwatch has been more popular than paying by inserting your debit card. 15% of all payments are now made with a mobile or smartwatch or wearable, while 14% of the payments are still made with the insertion of the debit card. Contactless payment with the debit card is still the most popular, with 71% of all payments. If you only look at contactless payments, then one in five payments is cardless.
The decrease in the percentage of payments in which the debit card is inserted into the terminal is also due to the fact that it is no longer necessary to insert your debit card if you have paid more than €100 contactless with your debit card. It is then still necessary to enter the pin code, but this is also possible contactless. When using Apple Pay and other services, you never have to enter the PIN. Authentication is already done with fingerprint, facial recognition or passcode.
An earlier study showed that in 2020 21% of payments were in cash and 79% were by card. Incidentally, the number of debit card payments has been higher since May of this year than before corona. More figures can be found at the Dutch Payments Association.
What about you?
A year ago we asked you whether you still pay with your physical debit card or whether you only use Apple Pay used. Now that there are more banks and you can pay contactless almost everywhere, we are curious how that is now.
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