Nordic banks roll out first mobile payment services with support for Dankort

Dankort
DANISH DEBUT: Bokis Partnership banks have launched mobile payments with Dankort

Customers of more than 60 banks belonging to The Bokis Partnership have become the first in Denmark to be offered a mobile payment service for Dankort, the country’s national debit and credit card. The service is available through the mobile apps offered by each of the supporting banks and works on Android handsets through host card emulation (HCE) and on iOS through a Bluetooth acceptance device at the point of sale.

“In February, Bokis launched its first mobile wallet, which is available on Android smartphones and can link to Mastercard and Visa international debit and credit cards,” says technology provider Nets. “Today, the collective took the next step and became the first in the country to enable customers to use their smartphone to pay with Dankort.

“By launching a mobile wallet for the iPhone at the same time, they are providing nearly half of the country with a mobile payments facility.”

The Bokis Partnership includes 62 banks that form the small to mid-sized banks segment of the Association of Local Banks, Savings Banks and Cooperative Banks in Denmark, together with four nationwide banks — Sydbank, Spar Nord Bank, Arbejdernes Landsbank and Nykredit Bank.

Nets began working with The Bokis Partnership in June 2016 to provide the technology needed for the member banks to develop and launch their own mobile payments services. The announcement followed a partnership between Nets and Japanese card issuer JCB in April to enable the launch of a mobile payment service for Dankort in Denmark. A partnership with Spire Payments was announced later in the year.

In-store roll out

“Danish consumers can use their smartphones to pay with Dankort in a number of stores, including Denmark’s largest retailer, Dansk Supermarked,” Nets says. “Many more retailers are expected to follow in the coming weeks.

“Danish supermarkets are among the first merchants to accept Dankort mobile payments via a Bluetooth acceptance device that sits next to their conventional payment terminals. Following a simple software update to their POS terminals, all merchants that already accept contactless Dankort card payments will also be able to accept Dankort mobile payments.”

“To make a mobile payment using Dankort, customers must first download a wallet app from one of the Bokis member banks,” Nets adds. “Sydbank, Spar Nord Bank, Nykredit Bank, Arbejdernes Landsbank and Lan & Spar each have their own wallet, while local banks utilise the common My Wallet.

“Initially, these wallets will only be available to customers of Bokis banks. As the solution continues to be developed, however, they will also become available to customers of other banks in the region. In addition, Nets has developed a separate Dankort app for customers of banks that have not developed a mobile wallet that supports Dankort payments.

“As with contactless card payments, for values up to 200 kr (US$30), mobile Dankort payments will not require the user to enter their PIN. It is easy, secure and fast.”

Growing interest

“Dankort continues to be the favourite Danish debit card and we are seeing a growing interest in mobile payments among Danes, so this was the obvious next step,” says Søren Nicolaisen, director of Bokis and Nationwide Banks.

“We are looking forward to hearing our customers’ feedback on our new solution, but also understand that a period of familiarisation will be required for both customers as well as Danish merchants.”

“Together, with the banks in the Bokis collective, we are now taking the first steps to make Dankort available on customers’ mobile phones, which we believe will pave the way for growing mobile payments in the Danish retail sector,” adds Jeppe Juul-Andersen, director of Dankort at Nets.

“It will be an exciting journey that we are looking forward to embarking on together with Danish consumers. It will remain completely free to use Dankort and storing the card on your mobile will become part of the current offering.”

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