Contactless payments (kontaktlösa betalningar in Swedish) are the default payment method in Sweden, where roughly 9 in 10 customers use them. For retailers, that sets a high bar for speed, security, and the way in-store and online systems fit together. Below, we’ll explain what businesses should know about contactless payments in Sweden, including which methods are the most popular, what type of security these payments rely on, and how to integrate them.

What’s in this article?

• What are contactless payments in Sweden?
  
• How do contactless payments work in Swedish retail?
  
• What are popular contactless payment methods in Sweden?
  
• What are the benefits of contactless payments for businesses?
  
• How secure are contactless payments?
  
• How can retailers integrate contactless payments in stores?
  
• How Stripe Terminal can help
  

What are contactless payments in Sweden?

In Sweden, checkout is usually a quick tap with a card, phone, or watch. Swedish customers refer to this action as “blippa.” The technology that powers it is near-field communication (NFC).

Adoption of contactless payments is broad and sustained. In 2023, 89% of customers used contactless payments, and 86% of card transactions were completed by tap. Cash plays a limited role in day-to-day retail: that year, almost 1 in 2 Swedes said they never use it.

This shift has been driven by straightforward infrastructure choices. Banks have issued contactless cards for years, and NFC payment terminals are standard so there’s no extra step at the counter. Many small retailers have responded by ending cash acceptance to lower their security risk.

Swedish customers use Swish, a bank-linked mobile payment app that many businesses accept in-store via QR code or the store’s Swish number. Swish involves account-to-account transfers rather than an NFC tap, but it reinforces the expectation for a fast, cash-free checkout.

How do contactless payments work in Swedish retail?

At the counter, the checkout flow is simple: the customer holds a contactless card, phone, or watch a few centimeters away from the card reader, the chip and reader exchange data, and the payment is approved. Each tap generates a one-time cryptogram so the transaction can’t be replayed. Typical read time is under a second.

Sweden follows clear guardrails for cards. For payments up to 400 Swedish kronor (SEK), a tap doesn’t require a Personal Identification Number (PIN). When the purchase is above 400 SEK, the terminal prompts the user for a PIN—even if the card was tapped. To limit misuse if a card is lost, issuers also enforce cumulative limits: after several taps or once a running total is reached, the next transaction will require a PIN.

Digital wallets work differently. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay authenticate on the device with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode. Because the user verifies themselves on the phone, higher amounts can be approved without entering a PIN on the terminal. Wallets also use tokenization, which means the device transmits a device-specific token instead of the primary card number.

The range is short by design, and the card or device needs to be within a few centimeters of the reader. The terminal confirms with an audible beep or on-screen cue, then routes the authorization like any other card-present transaction.

What are popular contactless payment methods in Sweden?

Swedish shoppers have several fast, tap-friendly ways to pay. Here are some of the most popular ones.

Contactless cards

Banks have issued NFC-enabled cards for years and terminals accept them by design. That makes this payment method the everyday default. Debit dominates day-to-day in-person spending, while credit is less common.

Digital wallets

Phone-based payments continue to grow in popularity. In 2024, 51% of customers said they pay in-store with a phone when they can. Subsequently, the total value of digital wallet transactions increased by 141% from 2023–2024. Watches and other NFC wearables (e.g., rings, bands) also facilitate in-person digital wallet payments. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay are all used in Sweden. Wallets use on-device authentication and tokenization so high-value taps clear smoothly and securely. With NFC included in nearly all modern smartphones, there’s little setup friction for customers.

Swish

Swish is an account-to-account app that’s most common for ecommerce payments, but many businesses accept it at the counter via QR code or Swish number. It doesn’t involve an NFC tap, but it serves the same function. Businesses that value instant settlement and minimal hardware requirements benefit from accepting Swish in person.

What are the benefits of contactless payments for businesses?

Contactless payments make checkout faster, simpler, and easier to manage. Benefits for businesses include the following.

Speed and throughput

It’s usually quicker for a customer to tap rather than insert a card, and a tap usually reads in under a second. The time you save with contactless payments can make a big difference during a rush.

Lower friction at the counter

For card payments of 400 SEK or under, no PIN is required. For those above 400 SEK, the terminal asks for a PIN. With digital wallets, on-device authentication means higher amounts can clear without PIN entry. The net effect is fewer pauses, fewer retries, and steadier lines.

Less cash handling, less risk

Cash acceptance demands counting drawers, transporting deposits, and managing discrepancies. Shifting volume to contactless payments reduces staff time at open and close and lowers exposure to theft. Many small retailers in Sweden have already ended cash acceptance for these reasons.

Cleaner frontend

Fewer physical handoffs of cards and bills improve hygiene. You also avoid chip misreads that stall the line, which keeps throughput consistent during peaks.

Better data, tighter operations

Digital payments automatically create structured records. Finance teams benefit from cleaner end-of-day reconciliation, faster monthly close, and simpler audits. On the customer side, you can issue digital receipts, tie purchases to opt-in profiles, and connect loyalty programs without paper or manual lookups.

Staff productivity

Cashiers spend less time on inserts, PIN prompts, and counting tills and more time helping customers and building baskets. The training required for contactless payments is minimal.

Security and liability

Contactless cards generate a one-time cryptogram per tap. Digital wallets add tokenization and biometrics. These payments are subject to the same card-present liability framework as chip transactions so there’s no specific risk for accepting a tap.

How secure are contactless payments?

Contactless payments are a low-risk way to pay in Swedish stores, and the payment process is built to contain misuse quickly.

Here’s what makes it secure:

• Two layers, two jobs: NFC is the short-range link for the tap. Europay, Mastercard, and Visa (EMV) chips structure the data and create a one-time cryptogram that the card issuer verifies. Captured data can’t be replayed.

• Short range: The card or device must be within a few centimeters of the reader, making it difficult for fraudulent actors to steal payment information.

• Per-tap limits: In Sweden, taps worth 400 SEK or under are approved without a PIN. Above 400 SEK, the terminal asks for a PIN.

• Cumulative limits: After several small taps or once a running total is reached, the next transaction forces a PIN, which shuts down unlimited misuse of a stolen card.

• Digital wallet protection: Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay add tokenization, which replaces card numbers with tokens, as well as on-device authentication via Face ID, Touch ID, passcode, or another method. Because the device has verified the payer, higher amounts can be purchased without a terminal PIN. And the business will still meet Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) rules.

• Issuer monitoring: Card issuers run real-time risk checks and block charges that look abnormal.

While these security measures work well, there are still certain vulnerabilities.

Here are some of the security challenges associated with contactless payments:

• Stolen physical cards: An attacker can attempt a handful of small taps before a PIN challenge or issuer block stops further use. Liability typically sits with the issuer once the cardholder reports the loss.

• Lost phone or watch: Digital wallet payments require biometrics or a passcode. You can disable wallets remotely, which prevents further taps even if the thief has the passcode.

To minimize potential damage, keep terminals up-to-date, follow PIN prompts, and react to issuer alerts quickly.

How can retailers integrate contactless payments in stores?

The setup process for contactless payments is simple. Here’s what you need to do to start accepting this payment type:

• Confirm your hardware: Ensure your point-of-sale (POS) system has an NFC reader and that contactless payment is enabled in settings. Modern terminals in Sweden usually support contactless payments by design. If you still use legacy hardware, upgrade before the peak season.

• Configure your processor: Contactless payments use the same acquiring setup as chip-and-PIN. Ask your provider to enable EMV contactless options, digital wallets, and receipts that clearly label the method (e.g., card, wallet, Swish).

• Decide on form factors: Fixed counters can use countertop readers at every till. Mobile or line-busting setups might be handhelds or Tap to Pay on compatible phones. Aim for the same user experience at every touchpoint.

• Add local options: If your customers use Swish, show a static QR code at the counter or trigger one from the POS.

• Train for the real flow: A simple script can cover most scenarios. For example, you might say, “You can tap here. For amounts over 400 SEK, the terminal might ask for a PIN. Phones and watches work.” Practice payment retries and how to fall back to chip when needed.

• Incorporate it into operations: Reflect the payment method on printed and email receipts. Test refunds for taps and Swish transfers so associates don’t need to guess. And route in-store and online payments to the same ledger so finance closes faster.

• Ensure customers know it’s an option: Place the contactless symbol at eye level, list accepted digital wallets, and put the Swish QR code where a customer can easily scan it.

• Maintain readiness: Update terminal firmware regularly, rotate spare readers, and test PIN prompt behavior to assure that the 400 SEK rule works as expected.

How Stripe Terminal can help

Stripe Terminal allows Swedish businesses to grow revenue with unified payments across in-person and online channels. It supports new ways to pay, simple hardware logistics, global coverage, and hundreds of POS and commerce integrations to design your ideal payment stack.

Stripe powers unified commerce for brands like Hertz, URBN, Lands’ End, Shopify, Lightspeed, and Mindbody.

Stripe Terminal can help you:

• Unify commerce: Manage online and in-person payments on a global platform with unified payment data.

• Expand globally: Scale to 24 countries with a single set of integrations and popular payment methods.

• Integrate your way: Develop your own custom POS app or connect with your existing tech stack using third-party POS and commerce integrations.

• Simplify hardware logistics: Easily order, manage, and monitor Stripe-supported readers, wherever they are.

Learn more about Stripe Terminal, or get started today.