Saturday, May 31 2014 13:46
In Q1 2014 number of cards on Armenian market grew by 1.8% to 1.6mln
ArmInfo. In Q1 2014 as compared with Q1 2013 the number of cards on the Armenian market grew by 14.9% to 1.6mln. In Q1 2014 alone it grew by 1.8%.
According to the Central Bank of Armenia, the number of ArCa cards grew by 9% as compared with Q1 2013 and by 0.1% in Q1 2014 alone. The number of Visas grew by 24.7% and 3.8%, respectively, the number of MasterCards by 7.5% and 1.3%, respectively. As of Apr 1 2014 there were 564,933 ArCa cards, 677,448 Visas and 303,674 MasterCards, with their respective shares in the total number of cards being 35.5%, 42.6% and 19.1%.
Some 5.3mln card transactions were carried out in Q1 2014 (8.9% fewer than in Q4 2013 and 21.1% more than in Q1 2013). Their total amount was 257.2mln AMD (19.9% less than in Q4 2013 and 14% more than in Q1 2013).
ArCa cards were involved in 1.6mln transactions worth 68.1mln AMD (21.5% more than in Q1 2013), Visas in 2.3mln transactions worth 120.8mln AMD (2.7% more), MasterCards 1.1mln transactions worth 50.9mln AMD (41.9% more). As of Apr 1 2014 there were 6,959 POS terminals, of which 711 ones were located in banks and their branches. As compared with Q1 2013 the number of POS terminals grew by 4.6% or 306 terminals, in Q1 2014 alone by 155 terminals. As of the same date, there were 1,297 ATMs (9.7% or 155 more than in Q1 2013).
The majority shareholder of ArCa is the Central Bank of Armenia. The other big shareholders are ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank, Armeconombank and Ardshininvestbank. The other 14 banks hold 2% each.