Armenian card issues 30,099 new plastic cards in September

YEREVAN, October 18. / ARKA /. Armenian Card (ArCA) payment system issued 30,099 new plastic cards in September 2012, by 13.8 % less from the same month a year earlier, the company said in a press release.

More specifically, it issued 11,187 ArCa cards, by 34.8% more from a year before; 10, 421 Visa cards- by 49% more from a year before and 8,491 MasterCards, a drop of 21%.

The total number of active cards, which could be used to make transactions in September exceeded 940,000, a 33.7% increase compared to September 2011. Some 615,583 cards were used to make transactions in the reporting period, up from 376,581 in the same period last year, of which 326,216 were ArCa cards (an increase of 52%), 157,450 were Visa cards (an increase of 63%) and 131,917 were MasterCards (an increase of 63.5%).

The company also said that the proportion of active plastic cards, which were used to make transactions, was 65%.

The Armenian Card CJSC was established on March 16, 2000 as a united national payment system. Today 19 of Armenia’s 21 commercial banks participate in ArCa payment system. The company is a full member of MasterCard Europe international payment system. It also processes VISA and American Express (Third Party Processor) cards. ($1 – 410,97 drams).  -0-