Payments Cards and Mobile Card Markets (formerly Card Notes)
Card Markets is the section of Payments Cards and Mobile where the magazine’s editors analyse latest trends in the card business – trends you need to follow to stay up to speed with developments in regulation, SEPA roll-out, M&A activity, changes in the regional card markets and many more.
Key in your search term below and check out how Payments Cards and Mobile’s insights can help you.
Card Markets are priced at £5 each.
2010 index | 2009 index | 2008 index | 2007 index | 2006 index | 2005 index | 2004 index
Recent Card Markets
January/February 2010
Sberbank – your ‘friendly neighbourhood bank’
The Russian bank has put an ambitious five year plan in place to revamp its branch network and infrastructure.
Australia – fraud rise low by global standards
■ UK – non-banks buck the trend.
UK credit cards – write-offs up, borrowing down
And still no final judgement on interchange.
Australia – the hidden truths of loyalty schemes
Loyalty programmes are growing fast, but retailers need to beware of a backlash from consumers when they discover how their data is used.
Europe – survey throws new light on prepaid
First Data’s survey into attitudes to prepaid in Germany, Austria, Italy and the UK show a promising level of interest in products, but a change is needed in how they are marketed, with a less prescriptive, section-specific approach.
November/December 2009
Canada rocks with contactless
New Zealand regulator accused over interchange settlement.
Postbank enters DIY, kicks northern trend
GAO investigation stokes interchange row.
UK fraud: battle continues
For the first time in years, the UK banking industry has reported a drop in payment card fraud, but new trends are emerging.
US transactions to exceed 100 billion in 2009
The US under pressure on EMV adoption, as Smart Card Alliance proposes encryption at the POS to improve magstripe card security.
Visa extends money transfer business
There are fears that a credit card scam in Spain could have compromised the data of thousands of cardholders.
SEPA: Losing the war on cash
Voice Commerce wins Payment Institution accreditation.
Global remittances dip in 2009
Crédit Agricole and Equens sign exclusive agreement to explore the possibility of forming a single entity.
September/October 2009
Big opportunity for acquirers among UK SME merchants
One in five small to medium UK merchants is looking to change its acquirer in the next six months. • Timing is everything – Elavon and Santander seem to be spot-on.
New frontiers for payment cards
Russia and the CIS looks poised to enter a phase of much more rapid growth in cards and retail financial services.
Young, affluent Chinese give out mixed messages on credit cards
A study was carried out at two Chinese universities this year with postgraduate (affluent) students on attitudes towards using credit cards.
Italians post leadership in prepaid
In one segment of the card market, Italy has emerged as the clear leader.
Danes and Norwegians get together
Plans to rationalise Nordic processing are back on track after a two-year diversion.
Fast forward - payments in 2018
In a difficult year economically, UK debit cards barely missed a beat.
SEPA still sais pas in Paris
“Seven years after the start of the SEPA project, we are not yet there – and with cards even less than other transactions.”
July/August 2009
Celtic Tiger gives up on credit cards
During Q4 2008, spending on Irish credit cards fell by an unprecedented 10% compared with the same quarter of 2007. The slide continued into 2009. ■ French figures show a rise in fraud in 2008.
Russia becomes Europe’s biggest ATM market
ATM market in Central and Eastern Europe showed exceptionally strong growth again in 2008. • EBA Clearing banks set up SEPA Direct Debit implementation forum.
Asian card network operators accelerate overseas expansion
China UnionPay and South Korea’s BC Bank Co are building an overseas presence, while India’s ICICI Bank crosses the Pacific too.
Multinational merchants pay more for overseas acquiring
Acquirers have the prospect of higher margins in a segment with crushingly low margins, but for a limited time only. • UK revives annual credit card fees as egg follows M&S Money’s lead.
May/June 2009
European co-branding markets still fragmented
Although pan-European acquiring has been commonplace for a number of years, pan-European issuing remains difficult to achieve, despite efforts by the European Commission and the international card companies to set up the appropriate regulatory and legal framework.
MasterCard reaches temporary truce, Visa served anti-trust charge
MasterCard has agreed to disagree over interchange levels with the Commission pending its appeal, Visa accused of restricting competition between banks.
BNP Parisbas deal reflects
The changing face of European consumer finance Fortis’ ambition is one of the hardest hit victims of the crunch.
Domestic debit vs scheme debit
Australia and Canada face real and potential competition from scheme debit cards.
March/April 2009
BCG predict major growth in the US and Asia
Ninth annual global payments reports finds bank payment franchises still profitable. • Alliance & Leicester pulls out of pre-paid cards.
What Tim did next
Tim Jones is heading up the UK government’s Personal Accounts Delivery Authority, (PADA), which will administer the state pension scheme from 2012. • Still no consensus on interchange.
UK credit card issuers survive a difficult year
Available numbers suggest they kept arrears and credit losses under control.
German card growth continues, despite ECB figures
Stats just released by PaySys show far healthier progress than ECB figures would have us believe.
Noca dramatically reduces merchants fees
Former Visa exec stirs up market with 0.25% only charge to online merchants.
