The short answer
An acquirer switch takes 3-5 days when everything falls into place. The new provider handles the technical integration: terminals are provisioned, online checkout is moved over, and you typically handle exactly one thing: sending a notice of termination to your current one. The three things that can go wrong are rarely technical. They are legal, emotional and administrative.
The timeline: 3-5 days from yes to first sale
Once you've said yes to a new acquiring agreement, a typical process looks like this. It's not a promise; it's a realistic picture based on what we see for businesses with one physical shop or one webshop.
- Day 0 You sign the new agreement. Provide your CVR number, turnover, typical basket, and whether you need a physical terminal, online checkout or both. We create your MID (merchant ID) with the schemes (Visa, Mastercard) straight away, and you send notice of termination to your current provider at the same time.
- Day 1–2 MID approval and hardware on the way. The schemes typically confirm within 24 hours. In high-risk industries it can take longer and require extra documentation. Meanwhile we pack your physical terminal and prepare the online checkout link.
- Day 2–3 Technical setup. The terminal arrives pre-configured for your MID. Online checkout is typically switched by updating the API key in your POS system, your webshop platform or your CMS.
- Day 3–4 Test transaction. You make a real, small transaction on your own card. We review it, and reconciliation and payout are confirmed within 1 working day.
- Day 4–5 You're live. Official go-live. Your old agreement typically runs in parallel until its notice period expires; that's to be expected, and it costs you nothing extra, because transactions now go through the new one.
Termination: what your contract actually says
Most Danish acquiring agreements have one or two of the following terms:
- Notice period: often 3 months to the end of a calendar month, but it can be both longer (with budget-provider contracts) and shorter (with standard partners).
- Lock-in: 12 or 24 months' lock-in is standard with some providers. After the lock-in period the agreement runs month to month.
- Termination fee: rare, but it exists. Check the "special terms" section of your contract.
We're happy to help you read your contract through before you sign with us. It takes 10 minutes to work out whether you can switch now, or whether you need to wait two months. Better to know than to be surprised.
Example of a termination notice
"I hereby terminate my acquiring agreement [number: XXX] in accordance with the notice period described in § [X]. I request that the agreement be brought to an end as of [date, the end of the relevant calendar month]. Please confirm receipt and the termination date in writing."
Send it by email. Keep the proof of sending. If you don't get a reply within 5 working days, send a reminder.
Three obstacles you should know about
- 1. Your POS system "forgets" the old terminal.
Some POS systems (particularly older DSB and POS systems) have the terminal integration hard-coded into the printer layout or receipt. The new terminal requires a brief restart of the POS. Talk to your POS provider before the termination date, not after. - 2. MID approval can take time.
Visa/Mastercard MIDs are typically approved within a few days, but in certain industries the schemes may require extra documentation. Expect 3–7 working days. - 3. Your accountant gets nervous.
The settlement changes format, the account name on the payouts changes, and your accountant suddenly sees two providers side by side in the bookkeeping for a month. Tell them in advance. An email takes 5 minutes and saves you a phone call in week 4.
When they call back with a "new offer"
Within 48 hours of your termination, your current provider will call you with a "customer win-back offer". It's a match, or better than a match, on your new price.
It's tempting. Don't.
- If that price was possible, why didn't you already have it?
- Retention offers typically only apply for 12 months, after which the price slides back to standard.
- You chose a new provider for a reason. The price was probably only the one reason.
It's fair to thank them for the offer and carry on with the switch. If you really are in doubt, ask to get the new offer in writing and wait 24 hours before you decide. Impulse retention is how budget acquirers build their customer base.
Checklist before you say yes
- ✓ I have read the notice period in my current contract.
- ✓ I have the new agreement in writing, with all fees itemised.
- ✓ I have confirmed that the new provider supports my card types.
- ✓ I have spoken to my POS provider about integration.
- ✓ I have informed my accountant.
- ✓ I have a plan for the period where both agreements run in parallel.
Want a realistic assessment of your current agreement?
Send us your latest settlement (photo or PDF). We read it through and tell you what you'd pay with us, without the marketing phrasing. Typically within 1 working day.