iDEAL continues to gain popularity

Transition to European payments successfully underway with the new chip-based debit card payment method

Use of the online payment method iDEAL rose sharply again in 2011. The number of transactions increased by 36%, reaching a total value of €7 billion. People in the Netherlands used iDEAL to pay for purchases 94 million times. These figures come from Currence’s annual results. Currence owns collective payment products such as Acceptgiro, direct debit, iDEAL and Chipknip, as well as the PIN brand until the end of 2011.

Currence expects strong growth in online payments by smartphone

The increase in iDEAL use is linked to continued growth in e-commerce turnover. In addition, more and more consumers prefer iDEAL to other payment methods when shopping online because it is simple, fast and secure. Last year, consumers spent an average of €73 per online purchase with iDEAL. More than half of the turnover was generated by travel, mobile telephony, clothing and electronics. Dutch consumers can also use iDEAL at an increasing number of foreign online shops. The introduction of mobile iDEAL made it possible to use this payment method on smartphones for the first time last year. This use is expected to grow rapidly in 2012.

Transition to European payments

The year 2011 marked the end of the PIN brand and the introduction of the new chip-based debit card payment method, which uses EMV chip technology instead of the magnetic stripe. By the end of the year, 97% of all debit card payments used this new method. It is safer and also makes it easier for visitors from abroad to make debit card payments in the Netherlands. The change is part of the transition to the European payments market. In the coming years, other payment products such as direct debit will also be replaced by European variants, so that in a few years there will be no difference between a domestic payment and a euro payment to or from another European country.

Growth in debit card payments, decline in Chipknip

People in the Netherlands made almost 2.3 billion debit card payments in 2011, 6% more than the previous year. Small-value debit card payments recorded the strongest growth, at 17%. Chipknip use declined for the first time, by 4%. One explanation is a decline in its use for parking, where debit cards and mobile payments are increasingly common. Many retailers have also stopped accepting Chipknip because consumers prefer debit card payments in their shops.

Stay alert to skimming

Losses incurred by banks due to debit card skimming doubled to €39 million in 2011. Debit cards were frequently skimmed at parking facilities and unattended petrol stations in particular. The new chip-based payment method has eliminated this risk in shops. Skimming remains a risk at terminals where the magnetic stripe still has to pass fully through the card reader. All parties involved in payments must therefore continue to invest in measures that prevent fraud. Currence also advises consumers to remain vigilant. One way to prevent skimming is to shield the PIN carefully when entering it.

For more information, please contact:
Jannemieke Zandee
Telephone: +31 (0)6 39 49 60 11
pers@betaalvereniging.nl

Currence Holding B.V. comprises Currence Services B.V., PIN B.V., Chipknip B.V., CeaNet B.V., Acceptgiro B.V., Currence Incasso B.V. and Currence iDEAL B.V.