A mobile wallet stores your payment cards on your smartphone or watch so you can pay in stores, in apps, and online without reaching for your physical card. It is secure, fast, and works anywhere contactless is accepted when your card is added to the wallet.

What is a mobile wallet?

A mobile wallet is an app or built-in phone feature that holds digital versions of your cards. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay are common wallets. Your bank or card issuer must support adding the card; the wallet then tokenizes your card number so the real PAN is not shared with the terminal.

Wallets can also store boarding passes, loyalty cards, and tickets, but for payments the key job is replacing plastic at checkout with a tap from your device.

How mobile wallet payments work

After you add your bunq card to a wallet:

• You unlock your phone (Face ID, fingerprint, or passcode).

• You hold the device near the terminal using NFC.

• The wallet sends a token to the terminal; the card network and your bank approve like a normal contactless payment.

• You get the same Instant Notifications in the bunq app as with your physical card.

In apps and on websites, the wallet can autofill payment without typing card numbers, often with biometric confirmation built in.

Mobile wallet vs. physical card

Both use your account balance or credit limit the same way. Wallets add device-level biometrics and tokenization, which can be safer than handing a plastic card to a cashier. If your phone battery dies, you still need plastic or another backup. Many travelers carry one physical card and rely on the wallet day to day.

Using bunq with a mobile wallet

Add your bunq debit or credit card from the bunq app to your preferred wallet. Use a Digital Card if you want a separate number for online-only use while your main card stays in the wallet. Manage freezes and limits under bunq Cards and read about payment safety on secure banking.

Common questions

Is a mobile wallet the same as bunq?

No. bunq is your bank account and cards. Apple Pay or Google Pay is where you store those cards for convenient tap-to-pay. You need both: an account at bunq and a supported wallet on your device.

What if I lose my phone?

Use Find My Device to lock or erase the phone. Freeze your card in the bunq app immediately. Wallet tokens can be suspended without canceling your entire account.

Are wallet payments free?

The wallet app does not usually charge per tap. Your normal card fees and FX rules still apply, the same as using plastic. See zero-fx for foreign spending on supported plans.