MobilePay in Denmark: Expat Guide

MobilePay is the financial app that holds Danish social life together. If someone asks you to split a restaurant bill, pay for your share of a shared grocery run, reimburse a flatmate for rent, or buy something at a street market — the answer in Denmark is almost always "just MobilePay me." It works like Venmo in the US or UPI in India, but with near-universal adoption.

If you do not have MobilePay, you will be the person fumbling for cash while everyone else has already paid and moved on. This guide explains exactly what you need and how to get it as fast as possible.

What Is MobilePay?

MobilePay is a mobile payment service owned by Danske Bank but available to all Danish bank account holders, regardless of which bank they use. It was launched in 2013 and is now used by approximately 4.4 million Danes — roughly 77% of the adult population.

What makes it ubiquitous is not just peer-to-peer transfers. MobilePay is integrated into:

• Restaurants and cafés — many add a QR code to the bill so you can pay directly, or split among the table
• Farmers markets and street food stalls — where the vendor has a MobilePay number you pay to
• Small shops and service providers — handymen, cleaning services, tutors
• Parking — some parking systems accept MobilePay via integration
• Charity collections — even street collectors have MobilePay QR codes
• Online checkout — select Danish e-commerce sites accept MobilePay as a payment method
• Splitting apps — many Danish roommate and bill-splitting arrangements run entirely through MobilePay

What You Need to Use MobilePay

MobilePay has specific requirements that cannot be worked around:

1. A Danish mobile phone number — the app links to your phone number. You cannot use a foreign SIM card number.
2. A Danish bank account — specifically, a bank account at a participating Danish financial institution.
3. A debit card linked to that account — either a Dankort (Danish debit card) or a Visa/Mastercard debit card issued by a Danish bank.
4. MitID — required to verify your identity when setting up the app.

This means you cannot use MobilePay with Wise, Revolut, or N26 — those are not participating Danish banks.

Getting a Danish SIM Card

The Danish SIM card requirement is solvable on your first or second day in Denmark.

The main Danish mobile operators are:

• YouSee — good coverage, competitive prices
• Oister — popular budget option, owned by TDC Group
• Lebara — good for international calls, SIM available at 7-Eleven
• Lycamobile — very cheap, works well for basic use
• CBB Mobil — reliable mid-tier option

You can buy a prepaid SIM at any 7-Eleven, Netto, or large supermarket. You need your passport to register. A basic SIM with some data runs DKK 50–150. Once registered, you have a Danish phone number immediately.

Do not delay this. A Danish phone number unlocks MitID (which requires it) and MobilePay. Get the SIM on your first day.

Getting MobilePay: Step by Step

1. Get a Danish SIM — see above. You need the Danish number before anything else.
2. Open a participating Danish bank account — Lunar is the fastest option after you have your CPR number. It supports MobilePay and can be set up in 15 minutes.
3. Download the MobilePay app — search "MobilePay" in the App Store or Google Play. The app is available in English.
4. Open the app and tap "Get started" — enter your Danish phone number.
5. Link your bank account — you will be asked to log in via your bank. For Lunar, this goes through MitID. Select Lunar from the bank list, authenticate with MitID, and confirm the card linkage.
6. Set a 4-digit PIN — used for in-app confirmation of payments.
7. Your MobilePay is ready — your phone number is now your payment identifier. Anyone who knows your Danish number can send you money.

The whole setup takes about 10 minutes once you have a Lunar account and Danish SIM.

Sending and Receiving Money

• To send money: tap "Send money," enter the recipient's Danish phone number (or scan their QR code), enter the amount, and confirm with your PIN. Money transfers instantly.
• To receive money: share your Danish phone number. That is your MobilePay address. When someone sends to it, the money appears in your linked bank account.
• To pay at a business: most businesses display a QR code or a phone number. Scan the QR in the app or enter the number manually. Some also have a payment box (a small terminal) where you hold your phone.

Transfers between personal MobilePay users are free. There are no transaction fees.

Why Wise and Revolut Don't Support MobilePay

MobilePay requires your card to be linked to a Danish bank account at a participating institution registered with Nationalbanken's payment systems. Wise and Revolut hold e-money licenses and route payments through different infrastructure. Their cards cannot be linked to MobilePay, regardless of whether the card physically functions in Denmark.

This is the primary reason Wise and Revolut are bridges rather than permanent solutions. They work for everyday card spending, but they exclude you from the most common way Danes transfer money between themselves.

Common Questions

Can I use a foreign bank account? No. MobilePay requires a Danish bank account with a Danish card.

Can I use my existing non-Danish phone number? No. The app is tied to a Danish mobile number. You must get a Danish SIM.

Does MobilePay work outside Denmark? The MobilePay app works for payments at Danish merchants online even when abroad. Peer-to-peer transfers work between Danish phone numbers. It is not designed for international use.

What if I don't have a CPR number yet? Without CPR, you cannot open a Lunar account (or any Danish bank account), so you cannot set up MobilePay. This is a hard dependency. Get your CPR number first, then activate MitID, then open Lunar, then set up MobilePay.

Is there a spending limit? Personal MobilePay accounts have a daily transfer limit (typically DKK 15,000 by default). This can be increased by verifying additional information within the app.

Key Takeaways

• MobilePay is essential for daily life in Denmark — 77% of adults use it.
• You need a Danish phone number + a Danish bank account + MitID to use it.
• Buy a prepaid Danish SIM on your first day (from 7-Eleven, Netto, or any supermarket).
• Lunar is the fastest Danish bank account to open that supports MobilePay.
• Wise and Revolut cannot be linked to MobilePay — they do not qualify as participating Danish banks.
• Setup takes 10 minutes once you have a Lunar account and a Danish SIM.