Questions regarding payment recommendations
What is new in the recommendations you are making now compared to those from June 2024?
The Nets crash and widespread power outages in Spain, Portugal and parts of France in spring and summer 2025 highlighted the fact that the public and retailers need to be prepared and aware of alternative payment options, such as offline payments, in order to use them. That's why we have focused our recommendations for the public, including recommendations on cash and the use of other digital payment solutions, such as money transfers via a mobile phone.
We also have new recommendations for merchants in physical commerce.
How much cash should I have on hand?
We recommend kr. 250 per person in the household. This will allow most households to pay for essentials for at least three days. Other households may need more. That is why it is important that you and your household decide what is an appropriate amount for you.
Why do I need two payment cards from different brands?
By having two payment cards in your household from different brands, you minimise your risk of not being able to pay. If you cannot pay with one card brand, you may be able to pay with the other. In addition, the chip on a card can become defective or the card can be lost. By having more than one card, you increase the likelihood of always having one that works – online and offline.
Do the two payment cards need to be linked to accounts in two different banks?
No, they don't have to be. As long as the two payment cards are of different brands (Dankort, Visa, or Mastercard).
How do I know if my payment cards work for offline payments?
All Dankort cards, including Visa/Dankort and Mastercard/Dankort, work offline. For information on whether your Visa and Mastercard cards can be used offline, please consult your bank.
How did you arrive at an amount of kr. 250?
According to Statistics Denmark, we spend an average of around kr. 70 per person per day on food. We multiplied this by 3, added a bit extra and ended up at kr. 250.
What are credit transfers?
A credit transfer is a payment directly from one bank account to another bank account. They can be made via online and mobile banking, while other payment solutions, such as MobilePay, also use transfers as the underlying payment.
I do not have a smartphone, so I cannot pay with my mobile (credit transfer). What can I do?
Then it is extra important that you follow the other recommendations about cards from two different brands and cash. It is also a good idea to have a little more cash than the kr. 250 benchmark.
Do I have to carry cash, two cards and a mobile phone all the time?
If it is important for you to pay when you are away from or far from home, it is a good idea to have multiple payment options on you. For example, if you commute a long distance to work or visit another part of the country.
What do I do when I am abroad?
We recommend that tourists follow good travel advice and adapt it to the context of your destination. Good advice includes more than one card brand and cash in the national currency. If you do not have more than one card, it is a good idea to carry extra cash.
Are Visa/Dankort and Mastercard/Dankort one or two cards, and what if you have two Visa/Dankort cards in the household. Are you covered?
Payment cards that combine two different card brands, such as Visa/Dankort or Mastercard/Dankort, only count as one payment card. If your household has two physical payment cards that combine two different card brands (co-badged), for example a Visa/Dankort or Mastercard/Dankort, your household should get a payment card from either Mastercard or Visa.
What do I do if my bank will not/cannot offer me a card from another brand (I only have a debit card and I am in RKI, for example, so I cannot be credit rated and get a Dankort or a credit card)?
If for some reason you cannot follow one of the recommendations, it is extra important that you follow the others. In such cases, it might be a good idea to have a little more cash than the kr. 250 benchmark to minimise inconvenience.
Questions regarding payment recommendations (for merchants in physical commerce)
Who do I contact to get a solution for customers to pay offline?
Contact your card acquirer and payment terminal provider.
Who will teach my employees?
Each merchant organises their own plans and instructions for employees.
Who is liable for a payment made with deferred authorisation if there are insufficient funds in the customer's account?
The merchant. Payments are not usually declined at the point of sale with deferred authorisation. The payee therefore assumes a risk of loss if the goods are delivered and the payment is subsequently rejected when the terminal is connected. The risk of loss must be weighed against the potential loss associated with either not being able to accept card payments at all or expecting the customer to come back to pay at another time. The risk of loss can be mitigated by setting limits for deferred authorisation payments at the payment terminal, or stopping/limiting the sale of certain goods or services in situations where regular card payments are not possible.