Five million-card market

The fifteen banks that issue cards on the Romanian market had distributed some 5 million units by the end of H1, 2003, with more than four million of these cards still considered valid and active, according to data reported by issuers to the National Bank of Romania. Analysts say the number of active cards increased by 884,000 in the first half, whereas the number of the credit cards accounts went up by 846,000 during the same interval. The Romanian Commercial Bank (BCR), Banc Post and the Romanian Development Bank (BRD), the top three card issuers, control 74% of the total valid cards, and 66% of the ATM and POS network. ZF