Paying with NFC in the Netherlands: everything you need to know

Paying with NFC in the Netherlands has become very popular in recent years. We have seen a huge increase in the use of NFC payments. Where some other countries lag behind, we see an extreme growth in the Netherlands. In this article we are going to talk about how this growth came about, what this means for cash and where it is possible to pay with NFC in the Netherlands.

The growth of NFC payments

At the end of the 1990s, wireless pin machines entered the market. These quickly grew in popularity. Thanks to this invention, it was possible to PIN at festivals, in cabs and at the market. Later, these devices were used everywhere. And this has remained unchanged until today. In 2013, it became possible to pay contactless at some companies. ATMs were equipped with an NFC chip, making it possible to pay with NFC. This feature, like the contactless ATM, became a global success in the Netherlands. In recent years, Apple and Android have both made it possible to pay with a smartphone. Apple even allows you to pay with an Apple Watch. This has made the application even more popular. Nowadays, you can even leave your wallet at home when you go to the supermarket.

Paying with NFC fuels 'extinction of cash'

What are the implications of paying with NFC in the Netherlands? NFC payments provide more simplicity and convenience. It saves another operation, reducing queues at the ATM. This is of course very nice for consumers. But it is also nice for businesses. Thanks to a fast turnover rate at the cash register, more turnover can be realized. Besides the convenience, it also contributes to the extinction of cash in the Netherlands. Whether you like this or not. Cash is inconvenient and takes more time at checkout. You have to carry the cash around with you all the time and you can lose it more easily. In other words, thanks to NFC payments, content cash becomes obsolete. Is this a problem? We don't think so. For both the government and citizens, cash has become inconvenient. Cash payments are already no longer possible at some stores. This trend will continue in the near future. In addition, the government also prefers the disappearance of cash since it is not traceable.

Where to pay with NFC in the Netherlands?

Here we can answer very briefly. Nowadays, with few exceptions, it is possible to pay with NFC everywhere. We owe this development to the makers of debit card machines. Because all new PIN machines were equipped with an NFC chip, adoption grew at lightning speed. Because every company with a new ATM device suddenly had the ability to accept contactless payments. Today we see that almost every business owns a debit card device with NFC.

The benefits of NFC payments in the Netherlands

An innovation always has pros and cons. We are proponents of contactless payment for the following reasons:

• Faster checkout
• Shorter checkout queues
• A wallet has become obsolete
• Safer because you don't have to enter a PIN.