Pinbetaling

Pinbetaling, or PIN payment, is a method of electronic payment in which the cardholder uses a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to authorize a transaction at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal. It is commonly associated with debit cards but is also used with some credit cards and prepaid cards that support chip-and-PIN (EMV) verification.

How it works: The card is presented by the customer and the terminal reads the card’s chip. The customer enters the PIN on a keypad, and the PIN is verified either by the card itself (offline verification) or by the issuing bank (online verification). If the PIN matches, the transaction is approved; otherwise it is declined. PIN-based transactions are designed to prevent unauthorized use even if the card is stolen.

Protection and risks: PINs should be kept secret and never written on the card. Shield the keypad from onlookers, and be wary of skimming or malware in card readers. Security often relies on chip technology (EMV) and encrypted PIN transmission. Risks include card loss, shoulder surfing, or compromised merchant systems, though fraud protection and monitoring by card issuers mitigate these threats.

Regional use and variations: Pinbetaling is widely used in Europe and parts of Asia and remains a dominant method for many debit card transactions. Some regions also support contactless payments where PIN entry may be required for higher amounts or after a certain number of transactions. In other markets, alternative verifications such as signatures or online authorization are still used for certain cards or payment types.

Related terms: chip-and-PIN, EMV, PIN verification, offline PIN, online PIN.