Digital wallets now account for nearly one-third of card payments
Digital wallets, including Apple Pay and Google Pay, accounted for 31.6 percent of all card transactions in Denmark in 2025, up from 28.0 percent in 2024. This represents nearly one-third of Danes' 2,863 million card payments.
One-third of card payments go digital
In 2025, 31.6 percent of Danes' 2,863 million card transactions were processed via digital wallets, marking an increase from 28.0 percent in 2024. This trend highlights a significant shift in payment behavior, with nearly one in three card payments now utilizing platforms such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.
The adoption of digital wallets is also reflected in the value of transactions, which rose to 22.6 percent in 2025 from 19.2 percent the previous year.
This growth occurred alongside a general increase in total card turnover, which reached kr.
819 billion in 2025, a 5.9 percent rise compared to 2024. Card turnover encompasses transactions in physical and online retail, both domestically and internationally, excluding cash withdrawals.
Defining the digital wallet
A digital wallet functions as a digital counterpart to a physical wallet, typically implemented as a smartphone application.
It enables users to integrate their payment cards into their mobile devices, facilitating payments at physical terminals and for online purchases.
It is crucial to differentiate between general mobile payments and specific wallet payments.
For instance, a payment made through a supermarket's proprietary app, where the card is integrated, is considered a mobile payment but not a wallet payment in these statistics.
Danmarks Nationalbank's figures specifically track payments made via dedicated wallet solutions like Apple Pay and Google Pay, ensuring a precise focus on this evolving payment method.
A clear shift in payment behavior
The sustained increase in digital wallet usage underscores a fundamental shift in consumer payment preferences.
While convenience drives adoption, the implications for traditional payment infrastructure and data security warrant ongoing attention.
This trend suggests a continued evolution towards mobile-first financial interactions in Denmark.