Payments Landscape in Denmark: Opportunities and Risks

Contactless payments are gradually growing in Denmark. The first contactless Dankort was launched in Denmark in 2015. By the end of 2016, more than half of all issued Dankort cards had a contactless feature, and contactless payments accounted for more than 15% of all Dankort payments according to the central bank. Payment providers need to educate consumers on the benefits and advantages of contactless payments, stressing the technology's ease of use and convenience compared to PIN-based cards.

Dankort is the national debit card scheme, accounting for more than 75% of total debit card transaction value in 2017. Dankort operates under a zero interchange fee model, and has dominated the market since its introduction in 1983. Mastercard and Visa are also strengthening their presence in the country. To facilitate international payments using Dankort cards, banks offer the Visa/Dankort co-badged card, which is used as a Dankort card in Denmark and as an international Visa card outside the country.