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The Netherlands ready in time for new debit cards

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Foreign visitors and people in the Netherlands with new Debit Mastercard and Visa Debit cards can now use them to pay in most Dutch shops. This marks the successful completion of the Debit Card Acceptance project (DCA). The Dutch Payments Association carried out the project with points of sale, terminal suppliers, transaction processors, banks, Visa and Mastercard. Its aim was to adapt or replace most payment terminals in the Netherlands before the end of 2022 so they could accept these new debit cards.

Young customer in bright yellow blouse pays for candy in a nostalgic candy store, while the saleswoman weighs candy behind the point-of-sale.

These new debit cards are carried mainly by visitors from abroad, but increasingly also by people in the Netherlands. Until recently, Debit Mastercard or Visa Debit could not be used in more than half of all shops in the Netherlands.

Gijs Boudewijn, managing director of the Dutch Payments Association, says: “We achieved this together within a year. At most Dutch tills, customers can now also pay using Visa Debit and Debit Mastercard cards, as they can in neighbouring countries. This is good news for tourists and for people in the Netherlands, all of whom will receive these new debit cards in the coming years.”

425,000 payment terminals

As part of the DCA project, around 425,000 payment terminals had to receive a remote software update. Point-of-sale merchants have received information about this from their terminal supplier or will receive it shortly. A limited group of merchants with outdated payment terminals whose software could no longer be updated have replaced them or will still do so.

Businesses can order free information materials from PIN.NL to show at the till which card types customers can use: stickers, signs and so-called wobblers featuring the brand logos of the new debit cards.

30 million debit cards to be replaced in the coming years

Now that most payment terminals are ready and the rest will follow soon, 30 million Dutch Maestro and V PAY debit cards can be replaced gradually over the coming years. All current Dutch debit cards are expected to have been replaced by new Visa Debit and Debit Mastercard cards within six years. In the meantime, anyone with a valid V PAY or Maestro debit card can continue to pay and withdraw cash throughout Europe as usual.

A new debit card will be sent automatically by the bank in good time ; cardholders do not need to take any action themselves.

Photo: Bastiaan Musscher

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