Saturday, May 15 2010 13:31
30,2% growth of Armenia's plastic card market by May 2010
ArmInfo. Number of plastic cards issued by ArCa member-banks grew by May 1, 2010, as compared to the similar period of 2009, by 30,2% to 490,000 cards, including 17.5 thsd cards were issued in April , that is less than March indicator by 11,000 cards.
As Armenian Card told ArmInfo, 60% or 293.4 thsd cards fell on local ArCa cards out of the total number of active cards (30% growth as compared to the similar period of 2009), MasterCard - 16%, or 77.1 thsd pcs. (60,2% annual growth), Visa cards - 24%, or 119.4 thsd pcs. (16% annual growth). Transactions by 349,000 cards (71% of the total number of active cards) were carried out in April on the average.
According to the source, number of active trade outlets/service and cash delivery points (less regard to ATMs) in Armenian Card system as of May 1 made up 2391, 311 of which are cash delivery points. Total of 2722 POS-terminals were functioning in these trade outlets /service points, 395 of which - in cash delivery points. Along with it, 2666 POS-terminals out of the total number of ArCa card POS-terminals were served, Visa - 1771, MasterCard - 2295, American Express - 194 POS-terminals. Number of trade outlets/service and cash delivery points in April, as compared to March, grew by 33, POS-terminals - by 34. As of May 1, 2010, there were 612 active ATMs in Armenia against 490 ATMs in early May, 2009.