Tuesday, December 13 2011 20:55
Number of plastic cards in Armenia exceeds 746,000, with transactions being made with 433,000 cards
ArmInfo. As of 1 Dec 2011, the number of active plastic cards in Armenia issued by the member banks of ArCa reached 746.1 thsd, having exceeded the index of the same period of 2010 by 34.6%.
ArCa told ArmInfo that over November 2011 the Armenian commercial banks issued a total of 35,799 cards, this number being by 78.1% higher than in November 2010. In Nov 2011 the banks issued 15,567 ArCa cards (34.7% annual growth), 11,065 MasterCards (over twofold annual growth), and 9,167 Visa cards (13.7% annual growth).
In the structure of active cards the biggest share fell on ArCa cards - 385.7 thsd (28% annual growth), Visa cards rank next - 199.7 thsd (29.7% annual growth) and MasterCards hold the third place - 160.7 thsd (62.3% growth).
According to ArCa, in November transactions were made with 67% of the active plastic cards, or with 433.4 thsd cards, particularly, with 282.1 thsd ArCa cards (29.7% annual growth), 124.3 thsd Visa cards (34.6% annual growth) and 96.1 thsd MasterCards (76.9% annual growth).
Armenian Card says that as of 1 Dec 2011 the number of POS-terminals, trade outlets and cash dispensers totaled 4023 (43.2% annual growth). As of 1 Dec 2011, there were 805 ATMs in Armenia, this number being by 22.2% or by 146 ATMs higher than in the same period of 2010.
To note, the majority shareholder of ArCa is the Central Bank of Armenia, and the large shareholders are ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank, Armeconombank, and Ardshininvestbank. Each of the other 14 commercial banks of the country own 2% of shares.
Active consumer lending causes double-digit growth in bad loans 
Luys Foundation: Armenian government continues to face challenges in budget planning
Armenia`s brandy and winemaking industry in crisis - economist 
Even at embryonic stage, powerful impetus given to economic activity in energy sector - ENA acting manager 
Armenian NA OKs ENA nationalization 
China preparing to open new chapter of One Belt, One Road initiative with involvement of Armenia - diplomat 
The Merger between "Ardshinbank" CJSC and "Ardshininvestbank" CJSC Has Been Completed
Ticket packets 1.2% of total number of transport tickets in Yerevan