All articles by EPI editorial
EPI editorial
Post-sanction Iran’s cards and payments sector is flourishing
With international sanctions removed and most operators reconnected to the SWIFT system, Iranian banks have resumed cross-border transactions and international card issuers and schemes are looking to invest and build market share leading to increases in uptake and competition
Sweden’s card transactions on the up; contactless in nascent stages of adoption
Average monthly card transactions and average annual spend per card are higher in Sweden than in other European markets such as the UK, the Netherlands and Germany, although they lag behind Swedens Nordic peers of Denmark, Norway and Finland, according to new research by Timetric
How mobile devices support PSD2 regulations
Traditional browser-based online banking will eventually lose market share to mobile devices with the ability to perform real-time transactions. While cash is currently the most direct way of paying for products and services, it could soon be a thing of the past. Michael Lynch, Chief Strategy Officer at InAuth, writes
Fleeced Greece: tentative steps to recovery through cards
No country felt the effects of the European sovereign debt crisis more acutely then Greece, and bailout measures left the country having to implement reforms and restructuring. However, electronic payments are being used to reduce corruption and tax evasion, and debit card transactions are rising
Informed Consent: A new data model for the payments industry
Regulation has never been more intense for the payments industry. The EUs General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) represents a watershed moment. This is not simply another data compliance headache. GDPR enshrines a new idea: that consumers have ultimate control of their data. Stuart Lacey, CEO and founder, Trunomi, writes
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Get industry leading news, data and analysis delivered to your inbox
Is rural China on the cusp of an electronic payments revolution?
China is Asias largest payment cards market in terms of card transaction value and volume, accounting for 74.7% and 41.2% respectively. The average annual spend per card is also high in China, at $1,501.40 compared to some of its regional peers such as Malaysia ($651.20), Indonesia ($290) and India ($88.70)
Brexit: The potential impact on payments businesses
Following the UK’s vote to leave the European Union (EU) on 23 June 2016, there are many questions which will need to be addressed in the coming months, including how the referendum result might affect the current framework for payments. Roger Tym and Virginia Montgomery, Hogan Lovells International LLP, write
Russia payments cards market on the up and up
Despite economic turmoil, the Russian payments card market grew substantially between 2011 and 2015, in terms of both volume and value. Economic growth has been slow, mainly as a result of falling global commodity and oil prices, and US sanctions against Russia
Vietnam is a pocket rocket for cards and electronic payments
Vietnam remains a cash-dominant country, with much of its population having no access to the formal banking system. A large proportion of Vietnams population lives in rural areas and depends on moneylenders and other informal providers to access financial services.
Latvian cash use declining in favour of electronic payments
Cash remains a predominant payment instrument, accounting for 52.7% of Latvias transaction volume. However, payment cards have gained popularity over the last decade and consumers are increasingly embracing cashless transactions