Payment Card Competitor Tracker: November 2009

Introduction

The Payment Card Competitor Tracker provides expert analysis and opinion on the strategic moves of leading competitors in the payment card market. Produced on a monthly basis, the Tracker is a global product and covers 60 players, including American Express, Barclaycard, Capital One, Citigroup, Discover, GE Money, First Data, HSBC, JCB, MasterCard, Standard Chartered and Visa.

Reasons to Purchase

*Gain invaluable information on your key competitors in one concise document, and track long-term trends using the interactive news database.

*Sharpen your strategy by implementing the best market, product, competitor and strategic developments of leading global players.

*Learn the Datamonitor Cards & Payments Team's view on the most important competitor developments in the month.


Report Highlights

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Overview 1
Summary 1
Methodology 1
Table of Contents 2
Introduction 3
The Payment Card Competitor Tracker provides both one month and 12 month views of developments 3
Each month, Datamonitor tracks the most relevant announcements from 64 competitors 3
Datamonitor's Cards and Payments Team provides analysis of the key developments at both the one month and 12 month level 4
A fully searchable database of developments from January 2007 onwards is also delivered alongside the report 4
Key Developments in November 5
In November, the key story was MasterCard and Visa extending remittance services globally 5
MasterCard and Visa extend remittance services 5
PayPal launches its new global payment platform 6
MasterCard launches PayPass technology in Brazil 7
There were 72 developments in December, well ahead of the 12-month average 7
There were 72 developments in the November competitor tracker, compared to the 12-month average 54 7
M&A was in line with the 12-month average, while product and service related developments experienced one of the highest levels this year 8
In line with the 12-month average, North America and Asia Pacific were by far the busiest regions for competitor activity 9
Schemes featured the strongest this month, broadly in line with the 12-month trend 10
Mobile, loyalty/rewards and online were the key areas for developments in product, services and innovation in November 11
MasterCard introduced a mobile processing platform in Brazil, with the intention of rolling out the service in other markets 11
Partnerships accounted for the bulk of activity in M&A, partnerships and organic growth 13
Products, Services and Innovation 15
American Express 15
Bangladesh: City Bank to launch American Express credit cards 15
China: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China launches China's first dual-currency mobile payment credit card 15
US: Pentagon Federal Credit Union to issue American Express credit cards 15
US: American Express launches Felicidades holiday gift card 16
US: American Express OPEN and Lowe's Companies issue a co-branded rewards card 16
US: Bank of Georgia and American Express launch two new cards 16
China UnionPay 17
Japan: China UnionPay and Bank of China jointly issue the first China UnionPay standard Japanese yen debit card 17
Citibank 17
China: Citi launches mobile banking services 17
Russia: X5 Retail Group and ZAO Citibank sign agreement to issue co-branded cards 18
Russia: MTS, Citibank and MasterCard launch joint credit card 18
Russia: Citi waives cash withdrawal fee for Citigold clients 19
Thailand: Citi introduces a range of mobile banking benefits 19
Turkey: Citi Turkey offers Doctors Citigold Package 20
UK: Citi implements SEPA Direct Debit scheme 20
Discover 20
US: Discover announces cash rewards for its card members 20
US: Discover introduces a website featuring the value of customers' cash rewards 21
US: Discover launches application for iPhone 21
Fidelity Information Services 21
Baltic region: Luottokunta uses Fidelity Information Services' IST/Merchant Accounting & Settlement solution 21
US: FIS integrates PayPal's global person-to-person payment system into its online bill payment application 22
UK: FIS signs contract with Moneybookers to launch a prepaid card 22
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China 22
China: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China introduces discounts on remittance through mobile banking 22
JPMorgan Chase 22
Canada: Best Buy Canada and Future Shop launch private label cards with Chase Card Services 22
US: JPMorgan Chase introduces two business cards 23
US: JPMorgan Chase offers discounts and rewards through Ultimate Rewards program 23
US: British Airways and Chase Card Services launch rewards program 24
Mashreqbank 24
UAE: Mashreq and Air Arabia launch Air Arabia Mashreq credit card 24
MasterCard 24
Brazil: MasterCard introduces MasterCard Mobile Payments Gateway 24
Brazil: MasterCard Worldwide, Credicard and Redecard launch MasterCard PayPass technology 25
Europe: ISIC and MasterCard Europe launch card program for students 25
Indonesia: PT Bank Central Asia launches BCA World MasterCard card 26
UK: MasterCard and RBS WorldPay launch contactless technology 26
US: DnB NOR launches mobile payment services trial for MasterCard card holders 26
US: MasterCard announces the availability of M/Chip Advance 27
US: MasterCard provides money transfer facility through its MoneySend platform 27
US: Univision Communications partners with MasterCard to introduce two new prepaid financial services 27
US: MasterCard launches MasterCard Priceless Gift Finder 28
PayPal 28
UK: PayPal strengthens buyer protection for online purchases 28
US: PayPal announces holiday promotions 28
US: PayPal adds five new currencies to its portfolio of payment solutions 29
US: PayPal launches its new global payment platform, PayPal X 29
Royal Bank of Scotland 30
UK: NatWest launches free mobile banking application on the App Store 30
Russian Standard Bank 30
Russia: Russian Standard Bank and British Airways launch promotion for British Airways American Express Premium card holders 30
UniCredit Group 30
Austria: Bank Austria introduces prepaid card featuring UEFA Champions League design 30
US Bancorp 31
US: US Bank offers Visa Mobile application to card holders 31
US: US Bank expands FlexPerks rewards program 31
Visa 31
Australia: Visa announces rollout of EMV technology 31
China: Visa and EPS launch Visa Money Transfer for PPS users 32
China and UAE: Visa extends Money Transfer service 32
US and Canada: Visa launches transaction alerts for card holders 33
Wells Fargo 33
US: Wells Fargo launches commercial banking services with iPhone application 33
US: Wells Fargo enhances its reward point program with new features 34
US: Wells Fargo expands its Cash Back card program 34
M&A, Partnerships and Organic Growth 35
American Express 35
US: American Express acquires Revolution Money 35
ANZ 35
The Philippines: ANZ completes acquisition of RBS Philippines 35
Bank of Montreal 36
Canada: BMO announces agreement to acquire Diners Club North American franchise from Citigroup 36
Crédit Agricole 36
France: Crédit Agricole and Equens sign agreement on cards and payment processing 36
France: Crédit Agricole begins consultation to sell its retail banking subsidiary, Crédit Uruguay Banco 36
Commerzbank 37
Germany: Commerzbank launches its new brand 37
First Data 37
Poland: First Data and Deutsche Bank extend their agreement 37
Turkey: First Data signs ATM agreement with TEB-BNP Paribas 37
US: First Data and VeriFone Holdings announce strategic partnership 38
GE Money 38
Thailand: Bank of Ayudhya completes acquisition of GE Capital's consumer finance businesses 38
JPMorgan Chase 38
UK: JPMorgan signs the UK Government Payment Card framework contract with Buying Solutions 38
TSYS 38
US: China UnionPay Data Services renews credit card processing contract with China Minsheng Bank 38
US: TSYS signs agreement with Axia Payment Solutions 39
US: TSYS Healthcare to provide payment solutions to HealthEquity 39
US Bancorp 39
US: US Bank acquires FBOP Corporation's banking subsidiaries 39
Visa 39
Russia: Visa renews its Olympic Games sponsorship for eight years 39
South Korea: International Visa card holders spend $1.3 billion in South Korea in 2008 40
Taiwan: Visa payWave-enabled cards cross three million mark in Taiwan 40
US: UniRush Financial Services renews its agreement with Visa 40
US: Visa and SHPS renew their partnership 41
Appendix 42
Methodology 42
Further reading 42
Ask the analyst 43
Datamonitor consulting 43
Disclaimer 43
List of Tables
Table 1: The 64 companies and subsidiaries covered by Datamonitor's Payment Card Competitor Tracker 3
Table 2: Current relevant publications, 2008-09 42
Table 3: Future relevant publications, 2009-10 43
List of Figures
Figure 1: In November, competitor developments saw an increase on the previous month, with 72 developments, slightly above the 12-month average of 54 8
Figure 2: November witnessed the same level of M&A as the average over the last 12-month period 9
Figure 3: North America and Asia Pacific accounted for the most stories in November, in line with the 12-month trend 10
Figure 4: Schemes accounted for the most activity in November, with 30 developments in total, but issuers also featured strongly 11
Figure 5: Mobile, loyalty/rewards and online were the key areas for developments in product, services and innovation in November 12
Figure 6: Conversely to developments in October M&A accounted for the majority of activity in November, with 10 announcements it total 13

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List of Tables
Table 1: The 64 companies and subsidiaries covered by Datamonitor's Payment Card Competitor Tracker 3
Table 2: Current relevant publications, 2008-09 42
Table 3: Future relevant publications, 2009-10 43

List of Figures
Figure 1: In November, competitor developments saw an increase on the previous month, with 72 developments, slightly above the 12-month average of 54 8
Figure 2: November witnessed the same level of M&A as the average over the last 12-month period 9
Figure 3: North America and Asia Pacific accounted for the most stories in November, in line with the 12-month trend 10
Figure 4: Schemes accounted for the most activity in November, with 30 developments in total, but issuers also featured strongly 11
Figure 5: Mobile, loyalty/rewards and online were the key areas for developments in product, services and innovation in November 12
Figure 6: Conversely to developments in October M&A accounted for the majority of activity in November, with 10 announcements it total 13
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