Tietoevry Banking has played a crucial role as a technical partner in bringing Apple Pay to the Norwegian BankAxept card customers. Ten banks are now pioneering BankAxept, the national payment system in Norway, as a payment method in Apple Pay, allowing Norwegian card users to benefit from an easy, secure and private way to pay with the use of iPhone or Apple Watch.

Over the past 1.5 years, Tietoevry Banking has, on behalf of Norwegian banks, worked closely with BankAxept to bring BankAxept cards into Apple Pay. This collaboration leverages Tietoevry Banking’s strong market position as a modernization partner for international payment solutions. Until now, Apple Pay in Norway has only been available through international schemes. With Norwegian banks now enabling BankAxept, costs for retailers will be considerably reduced.

The first banks in Norway went live early in May. As of today, nine banks are live with BankAxept in Apple Pay. This development sets the foundation for additional banks to support BankAxept in mobile payment solutions.

"We are pleased to have a good collaboration with all the involved parties and to enable these pioneering banks to launch BankAxept in Apple Pay for their customers before summer. 
This step increases accessibility and easy card payments for consumers, while allowing Norwegian banks to compete with international players and maintaining BankAxept as a crucial part of Norway’s payment infrastructure,” says Jan Ove Haugstad, Head of Card Security & Authorization at Tietoevry Banking.

BankAxept has a strong presence in Norway, and participating banks can now offer cardholders to have their combined BankAxept and VISA card in Apple Pay, allowing Norwegians to make easy, secure and private payments with their iPhone or Apple Watch.

"We are delighted that BankAxept is now available in Apple Pay for the first Norwegian banks. This means that retailers can look forward to more cost-effective payments even when customers use Apple’s digital wallet," says Jes Rasmussen, Head of Digital Payments at BankAxept.

The introduction of BankAxept in Apple Pay is a significant step to ensure that Norwegian banks can enhance their customer experience and maintain their relevance in the daily lives of their customers. With an estimated 61% of Norwegians using an iPhone, Apple Pay is a highly sought-after feature.

The banks that have already rolled out BankAxept in Apple Pay are: 

• Flekkefjord Sparebank
• Haugesund Sparebank
• Lillesands Sparebank
• Luster Sparebank
• Skudenes & Aakra Sparebank
• Spareskillingsbanken
• Søgne og Greipstad Sparebank
• Voss Sparebank
• Sparebanken Sogn og Fjordane
• Sparebanken Vest (to be launched later in 2024)