MobilePay is the payment app most Danes and many Finns reach for first, and Vipps plays the same role in Norway. Since the two merged into one company, Vipps MobilePay, they form the main mobile wallet across three Nordic markets.
This guide explains how MobilePay works for merchants, how it differs from bank-based methods like Swish, what that means for refunds and disputes, how recurring payments work, and how to accept it.
Key takeaways
- MobilePay (Denmark and Finland) and Vipps (Norway) are run by one company, Vipps MobilePay, formed by a merger finalised in November 2022. The two brand names are kept.
- Online, the customer is sent to the app and approves the payment there. Payments are usually charged to a card the customer has registered in the app, such as a Visa or Mastercard.
- Because payments are often card-funded, card scheme dispute rules can apply. Ask your provider how disputes are handled in your setup.
- Payments follow a reserve and capture model, so you can capture when you ship and refund after capture.
- Vipps MobilePay offers a recurring product for subscriptions, separate from one-off payments.
What is MobilePay?
MobilePay was launched by Danske Bank in Denmark in 2013 and spread to Finland. In Norway, Vipps grew into the national equivalent. In June 2021 the companies announced a merger, and it was finalised in November 2022, creating Vipps MobilePay, headquartered in Oslo and owned by Norwegian banks and Danske Bank.
For customers, little changed: Danes and Finns still use MobilePay, and Norwegians still use Vipps. For merchants, one company and one developer platform now cover all three countries.
In 2025, Vipps signed a letter of intent to join the European Payments Alliance (EuroPA), a group of European mobile payment apps working on interoperability across borders. If that goes ahead, it could make Nordic wallets usable more widely in Europe, but it doesn’t change how you accept MobilePay today.
How a MobilePay payment works
- The customer chooses MobilePay (or Vipps in Norway) at checkout.
- The app opens, or on a computer the customer confirms on their phone.
- The customer approves the payment in the app, which charges the card they have registered. Strong customer authentication is handled through the app and the customer’s bank.
- The amount is reserved. You capture it when you deliver, or cancel it if the order doesn’t go ahead.
- After capture, you can refund if the customer returns the goods.
Customers who don’t use the app can, in some setups, pay by entering card details directly, with 3D Secure.
Refunds and disputes
MobilePay is a wallet, not a direct bank transfer like Swish or iDEAL. Most payments are charged to the customer’s registered Visa or Mastercard card, so the card scheme’s rules on chargebacks can apply. Don’t assume MobilePay payments are chargeback-free.
- Refunds are made by the merchant after capture.
- Disputes depend on how the payment was funded and how your provider has set up MobilePay. Ask your provider which dispute rules apply and how disputes are reported to you.
- Clear descriptors and fast refunds still prevent most disputes, as with cards.
Recurring payments and subscriptions
Vipps MobilePay has a separate recurring product. The customer approves an agreement once in the app, and the merchant can then charge them on a schedule within the terms of that agreement. This suits subscriptions, memberships and other regular billing.
The usual rules for subscriptions still apply: make the price and billing cycle clear, send reminders before renewals and make cancelling easy. Our guide to recurring billing covers this in more detail, and our subscription merchant accounts page explains what acquirers look for.
Where MobilePay and Vipps are used
| Country | App | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | MobilePay | DKK |
| Finland | MobilePay | EUR |
| Norway | Vipps | NOK |
If you sell across the Nordics, Sweden needs a different method: Swish. Our guide to local payment methods in Europe covers each market.
Why merchants offer MobilePay
- Customers expect it. In Denmark and Finland, a checkout without MobilePay feels incomplete to many shoppers.
- Faster checkout on mobile. No card details to type, which helps conversion on phones.
- Authentication built in. Strong customer authentication happens in the app.
- Subscriptions supported through the recurring product.
The trade-offs: it only covers the Nordic markets, and because payments are often card-funded, it doesn’t remove chargeback exposure the way bank-based methods do.
How to accept MobilePay
- Choose a payment provider that offers MobilePay and Vipps, or integrate directly with Vipps MobilePay’s APIs.
- Complete onboarding with the provider or with Vipps MobilePay.
- Decide whether you need one-off payments, recurring payments or both.
- Set up capture and refund handling in your order system, so you capture on shipment and refund after capture.
- Ask how disputes are handled and reported for card-funded MobilePay payments.
Frequently asked questions
What is MobilePay?
MobilePay is a mobile payment app used in Denmark and Finland. It is run by Vipps MobilePay, the company formed when MobilePay merged with Norway’s Vipps in 2022.
Is MobilePay the same as Vipps?
They are run by the same company, Vipps MobilePay, but keep separate brands: MobilePay in Denmark and Finland, and Vipps in Norway.
Which payment providers support MobilePay for merchants in Denmark?
Many payment providers offer MobilePay, and merchants can also integrate directly with Vipps MobilePay. Check that the provider supports the countries, currencies and products you need, such as recurring payments.
Does MobilePay support recurring payments?
Yes. Vipps MobilePay has a recurring product: the customer approves an agreement in the app once, and the merchant can then charge them on a schedule.
Can MobilePay payments be charged back?
They can be. Most MobilePay payments are charged to a card registered in the app, so card scheme dispute rules can apply. Ask your provider how disputes work in your setup.
How do refunds work with MobilePay?
Payments are reserved first and captured when you deliver. After capture, the merchant can refund the payment to the customer.
Can I use MobilePay in Sweden?
MobilePay is for Denmark and Finland, and Vipps for Norway. In Sweden, customers use Swish.
Next step
If you sell in Denmark, Finland or Norway, MobilePay and Vipps belong in your checkout alongside cards. Fasto works with adult, subscription, nutraceutical, gaming, dating and hospitality merchants, and we confirm which payment methods are available for your business type when you apply. Approval typically takes two to three weeks.
Get a free quote and tell us which markets you sell to.
