Money may make the world go round but any newcomer to the Netherlands first has to get to grips with the local approach to cash and cards. Here’s a quick guide to the main Dutch financial foibles. 

Pin cards
In the Netherlands, your debit card is known as a pin card – because you use it with a PIN number. But even the pinpas is falling out of favour. More and more people now pay directly with their phones, and you can do this almost everywhere – even on public transport.

Cash money
Cash is no longer king in the Netherlands and some shops and bars no longer accept cash at all. In fact cards overtook cash payments way back in 2017, and now only about 20% of all transactions are made with euro notes and coins.

Credit cards
This often surprises newcomers: most supermarkets in the Netherlands don’t accept credit cards – and never have. Try paying with one at your local AH, and you’ll probably be directed to the nearest ATM instead.

Credit cards are mainly used for online purchases – especially when buying from abroad – and for travel. With a Dutch credit card, your entire balance is automatically deducted from your current account each month, so you can’t rack up large debts.

An ABN AMRO ATM?
You won’t find ATMs with ABN AMRO branding anymore. The big Dutch banks have teamed up to operate bright yellow Geldmaat cash machines, which are hard to miss. If you have a Dutch bank account, you won’t be charged for using them. Avoid ATMs in souvenir shops or tourist areas – they often come with extra fees.

Tikkie
Tikkie is a Dutch invention ABN AMRO that lets you split café bills, chip in for group presents, or send donations with a few taps. The Tikkie quickly became a cultural phenomenon – everyone in the Netherlands has a story about the €2 Tikkie they got for their share of a chocolate bar.

iDEAL
iDEAL is the Dutch online payment system that appears whenever you buy something from a Dutch webshop. It’s fast, secure and doesn’t require you to register or download anything – truly ideal in fact. From next year, though, iDEAL will slowly be replaced by Wero, a new European instant payment system designed to make cross-border payments within the EU easier.

BSN to bank?
No BSN number yet? Don’t panic. You can still open an ABN Amro account without one – you’ll just need to provide your BSN within 90 days. That should be more than enough time, even for the slowest bureaucracy to catch up.

Smart students
International students are often amazed by how digital the Netherlands is, especially if they come from countries where cash still rules. It’s worth setting up a bank account before you arrive so you can hop on a tram and pay for your ticket with your phone the moment you land.

ABN Amro’s international student package includes everything you need to start banking, and it’s completely free – although there are small fees for foreign currency transactions.

Debts and credit
Perhaps the best insight into the Dutch attitude to money is the word schuld – which means both “debt” and “guilt”.

If you have a stable income and pay your bills on time, you’re considered creditworthy. There’s no such thing as a “credit score” in the Dutch system. But miss your payments, and you’ll be listed with the Dutch Credit Registration Office (BKR). That record can stop you getting a mortgage, a phone contract or a personal loan – and yes, lenders really do check.

Banking apps
Banking apps such as ABN Amro’s make it easy to check your balance, transfer money instantly and manage your finances 24/7. But if you prefer real contact, expat customers can still speak to someone in English over the phone – or even drop by a branch for a face-to-face chat.