The Covid-19 pandemic also affected figures in 2021, albeit to a lesser extent than in 2020.

The number of card payments increased again, both in Norway and at physical points of sale (POS) abroad. The average number of card transactions per inhabitant in 2021 was 479, which is high in a global context.

Most card payments, 78 percent, were made at physical payment terminals in Norway or abroad. More than four out of five of these payments were contactless.

The remaining card payments were primarily related to online shopping. Online payments account for an ever larger share of card payments. The increase in online payments between 2020 and 2021 was 19 percent. On average, the annual increase for the past five years was 25 percent.

Surveys show that almost half of online purchases were made using traditional card payments. The use of mobile payments is increasing rapidly and now account for one out of four online payments. Most online purchases are ultimately settled with a payment card, including when the primary method of payment is mobile payment, invoicing, or some other manner.

Giro payments are used, among other things, to pay bills and transfer money between private individuals. For households, regular online banking payments are the most common giro payment. The number of instant payments has grown quickly in recent years and instant payments are now the most used giro payment. These are primarily person-to-person (P2P) payments on mobile payment platforms.

The Bank’s surveys show that 4 percent of survey participants used cash in their most recent payment at a physical point of sale. This figure has remained stable since the outbreak of the pandemic in spring 2020. The numaber of ATM and POS cash withdrawals has continued to decline, albeit somewhat less in 2021 than in 2020. The value of withdrawals from ATMs has also continued to fall but the value of POS withdrawals has increased somewhat.