Several European countries are preparing to implement offline card payment systems that will function even in the event of an internet connection loss, including cases involving sabotage. This was reported by Reuters.
Tuomas Välimäki, a member of the Board of the Bank of Finland, stated that the likelihood of disruptions in internet infrastructure has increased due to the ongoing full-scale war in Europe. As a result, it is crucial to be prepared for a situation where residents cannot pay for goods and services, given the declining use of cash in Europe (in Finland, only 10% of people actively use cash).
According to Välimäki, Finland plans to introduce a national instant payment system within the next few years, and offline card payments will become available by 2025.
Additionally, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Estonia also plan to introduce offline card payment systems. The Swedish central bank told Reuters that it hopes to launch such a system by July 1, 2026, so that Swedes can pay for essential goods in case of disruptions lasting up to seven days.
The central banks of Norway and Denmark have already implemented offline electronic payments and are continuing to develop them.
