State programme for bank plastic cards technical infrastructure development in 2006-2010 adopted in Belarus

Author: Mikhail Doroshevich

17/07/2006

Belarusian Council of Ministers together with National Bank of the Republic of Belarus have published State programme for bank plastic cards technical infrastructure development in 2006-2010 (Resolution of the Council of Ministers and National Bank of June 29, 2006, N817/11).

According to the Programme, by 2010

• cashless settlement should make 30% of total money turnover;

• the number of points-of-sales (POS) should be doubled, with one POS per 160 credit cards;

• cashless settlement for public services and utilities as well for communication services should be provided through POSes, ATMs and infokiosks.

The document says that 3,35 mln plastic cards were in circulation as of May 1, 2006. 3,017 mln. of them are international payment systems cards with magnetic strip, and 333 thousand BelKart cards with microprocessors. There are 1294 ATMs functioning in Belarus, 140 of them have scanheads. Some 4,5 thousand companies accept credit cards. It is planned to put into operation 789 ATMs in 2006-2010, some 260-270 ATMs annually.

As of May 1, 2006 there were 622 infokiosks which accepted credit cards. It is planned to install 2101 infokiosks in 2006-2010.

Only 10 % of 161 500 cash registers accept and process credit cards. Of 2750 special computer systems used by communications organizations and companies, 950 can process credit cards. It is planned to put into operation up to 2620 computer systems in 2006-2010.

Transport companies use now some 530 special computer systems. By 2010 their number should grow up to 1100.

As of April 1, 2006, cashless settlement made 5% of total number of operations with credit cards.

The Programme provides no information on Internet payments.

Useful links:

The Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus
National Bank of the Republic of Belarus

Themes

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