Payment Systems
VISA
VISA is an institution that develops technology and new payment products and provides infrastructure service in order to ensure reciprocal functionality and interoperability of almost two billion VISA cards transferred to the consumers by 21.000 member finance institutions in the world. As a member institution, VISA; integrates its scale economy with the competition power and innovations of the private sector, ensures functioning of the ongoing applications with the shared technology and infrastructure, undertakes the assignment of supervision for the system and allows domestic and international trade with its efficient network structure.
VISA Turkey is a part of VISA Europe Ltd. and is positioned as the third biggest market of Europe in terms of the number of cards. The number of cards in Turkish market amounts to 100% of the total of the cards at VISA Europe Ltd.. The share of VISA in the personal consumer expenditures in Turkey is 9,3%. The annual transaction volume made through VISA is more than 32 billion Euro. VISA has played an important role in developing and supporting the payment system sector in Turkey. It provides maximum support to enable the VISA member banks to switch to EMV-compatible chip cards. It plays a leading role in establishment of a common platform for the security of the payment transaction made in Turkey through the internet. It carries on business with 25 member banks in Turkey. As of the end of September 2004, there are 26,8 million VISA brand cards and more than 800.000 acceptance points in Turkey.
MasterCard
MasterCard is a worldwide popular and prevalent payment system institution. The framework of MasterCard includes such payment systems as MasterCard credit cards, Maestro online banking cards and Cirrus ATM cash access cards. 1,7 billion cards throughout the world bear MasterCard, Cirrus and Maestro logos.
MasterCard provides payment solutions to more than 25 thousand banks and finance institutions and consumers and merchant outlets in 210 countries. It provides the card holders with the worldwide opportunity to make transaction at more than 22 million merchants and enables 24 hours cash access for 365 days from 935 thousand ATMs.
The role of MasterCard in payment systems is to facilitate the transactions between the users of the payment cards, the merchant outlets accepting these cards and the member finance institutions establishing such connection, and to establish the infrastructure that concludes these transactions with 100% success. MasterCard lays down certain standards and methods to ensure global acceptance of the transactions; and offers a global communication network that facilitates the electronic information and fund flow between the members.
Treating quality and innovation as a priority, MasterCard offers better and easier payment solutions to its consumers both in on-line environment and real life. Always pursuing the latest technologies and consumer requirements, MasterCard has always treated security of card payment systems as a priority matter and also pioneered various innovations.
Furthermore, MasterCard prepares marketing programs aimed at increasing the brand recognition and developing the businesses of our members and provides support to the marketing operations carried out by its members under the MasterCard programs.
MasterCard Istanbul Office is responsible for Turkey, Israel, Cyprus and Greece as well as the Southeast Europe Territory consisting of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kirghizistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. MasterCard İstanbul Office is available from www.mastercard.com.tr and MasterCard International is available from www.mastercardinternational.com
DINERS CLUB
Diners Club was established in 1950 by Frank Mc Namara in America. Today Diners Club has 8,6 million card customers throughout the world. The Diners Club credit cards are accepted at 8,4 million worldwide merchant outlets. The average annual turnover of Diners Club is 30 billion American Dollars and it is active in 130 countries.
The Diners Club is active in Turkey since 1968.
AmEx
American Express was established at the beginning of 1850s for the purpose of "express transport" of cash and important financial documents. The company has performed many innovative works in financial services area for long years and pioneered the important developments in the travel services sector.
American Express entered the card market in 1958 with the first payment card "American Express Card". In 1960s, the company decided to target the high income group customers and launched the "American Express Gold Card" in 1965 and then the first "Platinum Card" in the middle of 1980s for the highest income group customers. Having included the credit cards to its product portfolio in 1990s, American Express launched the first transparent design credit card "Blue from American Express" in 1999. At the beginning of 2000s, it issued the "Centurion Card" which had become famous under the name "Black Card".
Today American Express is an international finance institution that carries on business in 75 countries with 78 partners. It offers unique services to its customers in the card market, in particular the travel and entertainment area.
JCB
JBC is a card payment system established in 1961 for local transactions in Japan. JBC has been pursuing its activities as an international payment system since 1985. As of today, JBC has 51 million worldwide card customers and is accepted at more than 11 million merchants throughout the world. The average annual turnover of JBC is 52 billion American Dollars. It is active in 190 countries.