Ardshinbank was the first in Armenia to issue payment cards ArCa-MIR

ArmInfo. Ardshinbank was the first in Armenia to start issuing chip payment cards ArCa-MIR, which are serviced both in Armenia and throughout Russia. The press service of Ardshinbank informed ArmInfo about this.

As previously noted by the project participants, the main purpose of issuing and servicing these joint cards is to provide citizens of both countries with even more high-quality services, the development of non-cash payments and the expansion of the geography of card transactions of national payment systems.  "Today Ardshinbank officially starts the process of issuing a joint payment card ArCa-MIR.We are one of the leading banks in Armenia, we are the first to issue these cards.I think it necessary to remind you that since July all ATMs of the bank have served the payment cards of the MIR system. on ensuring the acceptance of payment cards, "said Armen Gasparyan, Director of the Directorate of Strategic Development of Ardshinbank.

With the tariffs of ArCa-MIR cards, as well as the terms of their provision, you can find more details by visiting the official website of the bank www.ardshinbank.am, by calling the 24-hour communication center of the bank (012) 222222 or by using the "Call Back" service.

It should be noted that on July 7, 2017 the Central Bank of Armenia included the Russian national system of payment cards MIR (NSPK) in the register of active payment and settlement systems, and simultaneously gave permission to Armenian Card payment and settlement organization to participate in the MIR system. The project of intersystem interaction assumes mutual acceptance of cards of national payment systems in the infrastructures of two countries:  ArCa cards in Russia, maps "MIR" in Armenia.

The project also provides for the production of ArCa-MIR cobeydge (joint) cards. The technical possibility of issuing such cards has 16 banks operating on the ArCa infrastructure. The MIR-ArCa project is inherently the first in the EEA space, which demonstrates the high level of Armenia-Russia cooperation aimed at high-quality service to citizens of the two countries, increasing the volume of non-cash payments, and expanding the geography of plastic operations on the cards of national payment systems. The Eurasian Economic Union includes Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan.  Recall that the need to create a national payment system (NSPK) on maps arose in the summer of 2014, when Visa and MasterCard, due to US sanctions against Russia, stopped servicing the cards of a number of Russian banks. On June 3, 2016, an agreement of intent was signed between Armenian Card CJSC (operator of Armenia's payment system ArCa) and JSC NSPK (operator of the Russian payment system Mir), providing for mutual servicing of ArCa and Mir payment systems in payment infrastructures their participants.

According to the analytical review "Armenian Banks in the Card Business" prepared by IA ArmInfo, Ardshinbank is among the top three in terms of the total number of active cards - about 169 thousand, in TOP-5 - by the total volume of plastic transactions - 103 billion drams for 2016, Only by the volume of ATM transactions the position in TOP-3 is maintained - over 99 billion drams for 2016, and the number of ATMs is fixed at 178 ATM. Ardshinbank is the second largest bank in Armenia, it has one of the largest retail chains, consisting of 64 branches. Ardshinbank is the only private institution in Armenia with ratings of two international rating agencies (Moody's and Fitch) equal to Armenia's country rating.