The number of Cards-In-Force (CIF) for the four major global payment card networks (excluding Visa Europe, CUP and JCB) rose 6.5% year-on-year (Y/Y) during the first quarter of 2014 (Q1/14). Visa (VS), MasterCard (MC), American Express (AX) and Discover (DS) reported 3694 million global CIF at the end of Q1/14, compared to 3469 million one year ago.
Based on global CIF, MC led the four networks in Y/Y gains in global market share, gaining 180 basis points (bps) Y/Y, while VS declined 170 bps Y/Y in Q1/14. AX and DS both dropped 10 bps Y/Y. At the end of Q1/14, VS remains the global giant (excluding Visa Europe, CUP and JCB) with a 59.6% market share, compared to 35.4% for MC, 2.9% for AX and 2.0% for DS, according to CardData.
VS reported an 3.5% Y/Y gain in Q1/14, with an estimated 2202 million CIF. (Visa no longer reports CIF on a quarterly basis.)
MC posted a 12.3% Y/Y increase in Q1/14 global CIF to 1309 million.
AX Q1/2014 global CIF of 108 million, up 4.9% over the year ago quarter.
DS does not publicly release global CIF, but the consensus of at least 75 million appears to be reasonable.
RAM Research projects global payment card CIF for the second quarter 2014 will rise slightly to 3714 million.
GLOBAL NETWORK CIF STATS
(millions)
1Q/13 2Q/13 3Q/13 4Q/13 1Q/14
VS: 2128 2153 2189 2229 2222
MC: 1166 1199 1235 1277 1309
AX: 103 104 105 107 108
DS*: 72 73 73 74 75
*Discover does not disclose cards-in-force and estimate is present
Source: Visa; MasterCard; American Express; Discover; CardData
RESOURCES:
For more data on the global Payment Card CIF access CardData®. For information and commentary on the global Payment Card CIF visit the searchable CardFlash® Library of more than 58,000 articles published since 1995. Custom RAM Research® projects on the global Payment Card CIF are available exclusively through CardWeb.com.®
NOTES:
VISA –
Total volume, payments volume and cash volume, and the number of payments transactions, cash transactions, accounts and cards represent cards carrying the Visa, Visa Electron and Interlink brands. Card counts include PLUS proprietary cards.
Payments volume represents the aggregate dollar amount of purchases made with cards carrying the Visa, Visa Electron and Interlink brands for the relevant period; and cash volume represents the aggregate dollar amount of cash disbursements obtained with these cards for the relevant period and includes the impact of balance transfers and convenience checks; but excludes proprietary PLUS volume. Total volume represents payments volume plus cash volume.
Visa payment products are comprised of credit and debit programs, and data relating to each program is included in the tables. Debit programs include Visa’s signature based and Interlink (PIN) debit programs.
The data presented are based on results reported quarterly by Visa’s financial institution clients on their operating certificates. Estimates may be utilized if data is unavailable. On occasion, previously presented information may be updated.
MASTERCARD –
MasterCard’s GDV represents purchase volume plus cash volume and includes the impact of balance transfers and convenience checks; “purchase volume” means the aggregate dollar amount of purchases made with MasterCard-branded cards for the relevant period; and “cash volume” means the aggregate dollar amount of cash disbursements obtained with MasterCard-branded cards for the relevant period. The number of cards includes virtual cards, which are MasterCard-branded payment accounts that do not generally have physical cards associated with them.
The MasterCard payment product is comprised of credit, charge and debit programs, and data relating to each type of program is included in the tables. Debit programs include MasterCard-branded debit programs where the primary means of cardholder validation at the point of sale is for cardholders either to sign a sales receipt or enter a PIN. The data include information with respect to transactions involving MasterCard-branded cards that are not processed by MasterCard and transactions for which MasterCard does not earn significant revenues.
The data set forth in the GDV, purchase volume, purchase transactions, cash volume and cash transactions columns is provided by MasterCard customers and is subject to verification by MasterCard and partial cross-checking against information provided by MasterCard’s transaction processing systems. The data set forth in the accounts and cards columns is provided by MasterCard customers and is subject to certain limited verification by MasterCard. A portion of the data set forth in the accounts and cards reflects the impact of routine portfolio changes among customers and other practices that may lead to over counting of the underlying data in certain circumstances. All data is subject to revision and amendment by MasterCard’s customers subsequent to the date of its release.
AMERICAN EXPRESS –
Card billed business includes activities (including cash advances) related to proprietary cards, cards issued under network partnership agreements (non-proprietary billed business), and certain insurance fees charged on proprietary cards. In-store spend activity within retail co-brand portfolios in Global Network Services, from which the Company earns no revenue, is not included in non-proprietary billed business. Card billed business is reflected in the United States or outside the United States based on where the issuer is located.
Total cards-in-force represents the number of cards that are issued and outstanding. Proprietary basic consumer cards- in-force includes basic cards issued to the primary account owner and does not include additional supplemental cards issued on that account. Proprietary basic small business and corporate cards-in-force include basic and supplemental cards issued to employee Card Members. Non-proprietary cards-in-force includes all cards that are issued and outstanding under network partnership agreements, except for retail co-brand Card Member accounts that have no out-of-store spend activity during the prior 12 month period.
