pinnen

Pinnen is a Dutch verb meaning to pay with a bank card by entering a PIN (Personal Identification Number) at a payment terminal. The term is widely used in the Netherlands and Dutch-speaking parts of Belgium, referring to card payments and, more generally, to cash withdrawals at ATMs as well as some transfers conducted through card readers.

In practice, a customer presents a debit or payment card at a point-of-sale terminal, inserts or taps the card, and authenticates the transaction by entering a PIN when required. In recent years, contactless payments have become common, allowing some small transactions to be completed without entering a PIN, while higher amounts or certain card types still require PIN authentication. The expression is used in sentences such as “Ik pin bij de supermarkt” or “We pinnen met onze pinpas.” The verbs pinden, gepind, and pinnen are conjugated in the usual Dutch way, with pinde as the simple past and gepind as the past participle.

Historically, pinning grew with the spread of chip-and-PIN technology starting in the late 20th century, which enhanced security by requiring PIN verification. Today, pinbetalingen are a standard payment method in many retail environments and are often integrated with contactless capabilities and mobile wallets.

See also: pinpas, chip-and-PIN, contactless payment, mobile wallet.