Financial Cards in Belgium
Euromonitor International's Financial Cards in Belgium report establishes the size and structure of the market for ATMs, credit cards, debit cards, store cards and smart cards. It looks at key players in the market (issuers and operators), number of cards in circulation, numbers transactions and value of transactions. It offers strategic analysis of sector forecasts and trends to watch.
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Tables: 107 | Publication date: Mar 2008
Why buy this report
- Get insight into trends in market performance
- Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change
- Identify market and brand leaders and understand the competitive environment
Product coverage
Financial cards in circulation; Transactions
Executive summary
The War of the Credit Card Brands Continues in Belgium
The adoption of Maestro in Belgium is expected to increase transaction opportunities both within Belgium and throughout Europe for both consumers and merchants. Two operators, Visa and MasterCard (under the Maestro brand), continue to account for the majority of transactions across all sectors of the industry. However, although both appear to be currently at the limit of their capacity, the much vaunted "war on cash" is turning the focus to the development of less cash dependence amongst consumers for smaller purchases under EUR10.
Belgium Banks Score All-time High Transaction Fees on Credit Cards
The number of financial cards has increased tremendously over the past two to three years in Belgium, reaching an all-time high in 2007. As most credit and debit cards are directly linked to a bank account, the major financial institutions benefit from the acquisition fees on all transactions, and these cards became a prosperous revenue stream for the banking industry.
Macro-economy Spawns Healthy Growth: but the Environment Tightens
Unlike the difficulties facing other economies, the Belgian economy continues to perform robustly. Stable interest rates and low unemployment have all served to develop the financial cards industry in the country and these conditions underpinned a massive boom in consumer credit over the last decade. However, the bubble appears to be about to burst. There was also some uneasiness in the housing market and a slight increase in unemployment, indicating that the economy may tighten in upcoming years. As a result, consumers began to cut back their credit outlay in favour of fixed payment options, such as debit cards and, more recently, pre-paid cards.
Credit and Charge Card Transactions Boosted by Enhanced Security
Enhanced security owing to the use of Chip & PIN has helped to boost the retail value growth of private and corporate credit card and charge card transactions. While charge card transactions were strong in 2007, credit card transactions were only beginning to take hold as a result of the increased use of credit cards for everyday purchases. Small but dynamic corporate credit card transactions have also been driven by the offer of attractive card packages and internet-based card reporting by leading banks.
The Way of the Future
Over the medium term financial cards usage is likely to expand in Belgium and the Benelux countries with the introduction of smart cards allowing operators to introduce greater functionality and features. Although the credit industry is likely to be flat, developments such as contactless payment and the expected expansion of pre-pay will underpin much wider usage than is currently the case. There is also some indication through the introduction of pre-paid enabled mobile phones (m-commerce or GSM payment services) that the concept of financial "cards" may become out of date.
Table of contents
FINANCIAL CARDS IN BELGIUM : MARKET INSIGHT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The War of the Credit Card Brands Continues in Belgium
Belgium Banks Score All-time High Transaction Fees on Credit Cards
Macro-economy Spawns Healthy Growth: but the Environment Tightens
Credit and Charge Card Transactions Boosted by Enhanced Security
The Way of the Future
KEY TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS
Different Market Indicators Boost Use of Financial Cards
High Penetration and Usage Rates
New Technology Trends
Infrastructure Developments
Restructured Belgian Card Industry Gains Coherent Synergies
Value Lost to Fraud Under Firm Control
OPERATING ENVIRONMENT
Consumer Credit and Lending
Issuer Fraud
Acquirer Fraud
E-commerce
M-commerce
ATMs and POS Terminals
Cash Withdrawals versus Card Purchases
Governmental Regulation and Legislation
MARKET INDICATORS
Table 1 Number of POS Terminals 2004-2007
Table 2 Number of ATMs 2004-2007
Table 3 Disposable Income 2002-2007
Table 4 Consumer Credit 2002-2007
Table 5 Value Lost to Fraud 2002-2007
MARKET DATA
Table 6 Financial Cards: Transactions 2002-2007
Table 7 Financial Cards: Value 2002-2007
Table 8 Financial Cards: Number of Cards in Circulation 2002-2007
Table 9 Financial Cards: Number of Accounts 2002-2007
Table 10 Domestic versus Foreign Spend 2007
Table 11 Card Expenditure by Sector 2007
Table 12 Card Expenditure by Location 2007
Table 13 Financial Cards: Number of Internet Transactions 2002-2007
Table 14 Financial Cards: Internet Transaction Value 2002-2007
Table 15 Financial Cards: Number of Cards by Issuer 2002-2006
Table 16 Financial Cards: Number of Cards by Operator 2002-2006
Table 17 Financial Cards: Point of Sale Transactions by Acquirer 2002-2006
Table 18 Financial Cards Forecast: Transactions 2007-2012
Table 19 Financial Cards Forecast: Value 2007-2012
Table 20 Financial Cards Forecast: Number of Cards in Circulation 2007-2012
Table 21 Financial Cards: Forecast Number of Accounts 2007-2012
Table 22 Financial Cards Forecast: Number of Internet Transactions 2007-2012
Table 23 Financial Cards Forecast: Internet Transaction Value 2007-2012
DEFINITIONS
Cards by Type
Cardholder Behaviour
Card Expenditure by Sector
Value Lost to Card Fraud
Consumer Credit
Market Background
Sources
Summary 1 Research Sources
LOCAL COMPANY PROFILES - BELGIUM
BANK CARD CO SA/NV (BCC) - FINANCIAL CARDS - BELGIUM
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 2 Bank Card CO SA/NV (BCC): Key Facts
Summary 3 Bank Card CO SA/NV (BCC): Operational Indicators 2004-2006
COMPANY BACKGROUND
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
BANKSYS NV/SA - FINANCIAL CARDS - BELGIUM
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 4 Banksys NV/SA: Key Facts
Summary 5 Banksys NV/SA: Operational Indicators 2004-2006
COMPANY BACKGROUND
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
DEXIA, GROUPE - FINANCIAL CARDS - BELGIUM
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 6 Dexia, Groupe: Key Facts
Summary 7 Dexia, Groupe: Operational Indicators 2004-2006
COMPANY BACKGROUND
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
FORTIS SA/NV - FINANCIAL CARDS - BELGIUM
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 8 Fortis SA/NV: Key Facts
Summary 9 Fortis SA/NV: Operational Indicators 2004-2006
COMPANY BACKGROUND
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
KBC GROUP NV - FINANCIAL CARDS - BELGIUM
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 10 KBC Group NV: Key Facts
Summary 11 KBC Group NV: Operational Indicators 2004-2006
COMPANY BACKGROUND
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
SMART CARDS IN BELGIUM
HEADLINES
TRENDS
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
PROSPECTS
SECTOR DATA
Table 24 Smart Cards Sector Performance: 2002-2007
Table 25 Smart Cards Sector Performance: % Growth 2002-2007
Table 26 Smart Cards: Memory vs Microprocessor 2004-2007
Table 27 Smart Cards: Contact vs Contactless 2004-2007
Table 28 Smart Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: 2007-2012
Table 29 Smart Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: % Growth 2007-2012
ATM TRANSACTIONS IN BELGIUM
HEADLINES
TRENDS
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
PROSPECTS
SECTOR DATA
Table 30 ATM Cards Sector Performance: 2002-2007
Table 31 ATM Cards Sector Performance: % Growth 2002-2007
Table 32 ATM Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: 2007-2012
Table 33 ATM Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: % Growth 2007-2012
DEBIT TRANSACTIONS IN BELGIUM
HEADLINES
TRENDS
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
PROSPECTS
SECTOR DATA
Table 34 Debit Cards Sector Performance: 2002-2007
Table 35 Debit Cards Sector Performance: % Growth 2002-2007
Table 36 Debit Cards: Number of Cards by Issuer 2002-2006
Table 37 Debit Cards: Number of Cards by Operator 2002-2006
Table 38 Debit Cards Transactions by Acquirer 2002-2006
Table 39 Debit Cards Transaction Value by Operator 2002-2006
Table 40 Debit Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: 2007-2012
Table 41 Debit Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: % Growth 2007-2012
CREDIT CARD TRANSACTIONS IN BELGIUM
HEADLINES
TRENDS
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
PROSPECTS
SECTOR DATA
Table 42 Credit Cards Sector Performance: 2002-2007
Table 43 Credit Cards Sector Performance: % Growth 2002-2007
Table 44 Personal Credit Cards Sector Performance: 2002-2007
Table 45 Personal Credit Cards Sector Performance: % Growth 2002-2007
Table 46 Corporate Credit Cards: Sector Performance: 2002-2007
Table 47 Corporate Credit Cards: Sector Performance: % Growth 2002-2007
Table 48 Credit Cards: Number of Cards by Issuer 2002-2006
Table 49 Credit Cards: Number of Cards by Operator 2002-2006
Table 50 Credit Cards Transactions by Acquirer 2002-2006
Table 51 Credit Cards Transaction Value by Operator 2002-2006
Table 52 Personal Credit Cards Transactions by Acquirer 2002-2006
Table 53 Personal Credit Cards Transaction Value by Operator 2002-2006
Table 54 Corporate Credit Cards Transactions by Acquirer 2002-2006
Table 55 Corporate Credit Cards Transaction Value by Operator 2002-2006
Table 56 Credit Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: 2007-2012
Table 57 Credit Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: % Growth 2007-2012
Table 58 Personal Credit Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: 2007-2012
Table 59 Personal Credit Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: % Growth 2007-2012
Table 60 Corporate Credit Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: 2007-2012
Table 61 Corporate Credit Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: % Growth 2007-2012
CHARGE CARD TRANSACTIONS IN BELGIUM
HEADLINES
TRENDS
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
PROSPECTS
SECTOR DATA
Table 62 Charge Cards Sector Performance: 2002-2007
Table 63 Charge Cards Sector Performance: % Growth 2002-2007
Table 64 Personal Charge Cards Sector Performance: 2002-2007
Table 65 Personal Charge Cards Sector Performance: % Growth 2002-2007
Table 66 Corporate Charge Cards: Sector Performance: 2002-2007
Table 67 Corporate Charge Cards: Sector Performance: % Growth 2002-2007
Table 68 Charge Cards: Number of Cards by Issuer 2002-2006
Table 69 Charge Cards: Number of Cards by Operator 2002-2006
Table 70 Charge Cards Transactions by Acquirer 2002-2006
Table 71 Charge Cards Transaction Value by Operator 2002-2006
Table 72 Personal Charge Cards Transactions by Acquirer 2002-2006
Table 73 Personal Charge Cards Transaction Value by Operator 2002-2006
Table 74 Corporate Charge Cards Transactions by Acquirer 2002-2006
Table 75 Corporate Charge Cards Transaction Value by Operator 2002-2006
Table 76 Charge Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: 2007-2012
Table 77 Charge Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: % Growth 2007-2012
Table 78 Personal Charge Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: 2007-2012
Table 79 Personal Charge Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: % Growth 2007-2012
Table 80 Corporate Charge Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: 2007-2012
Table 81 Corporate Charge Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: % Growth 2007-2012
PRE-PAID CARD TRANSACTIONS IN BELGIUM
HEADLINES
TRENDS
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
PROSPECTS
SECTOR DATA
Table 82 Pre-paid Cards Sector Performance: 2002-2007
Table 83 Pre-paid Cards Sector Performance: % Growth 2002-2007
Table 84 Pre-paid Cards: Number of Cards by Issuer 2002-2006
Table 85 Pre-paid Cards: Number of Cards by Operator 2002-2006
Table 86 Pre-paid Cards Transactions by Acquirer 2002-2006
Table 87 Pre-paid Cards Transaction Value by Operator 2002-2006
Table 88 Pre-paid Cards by Type 2004-2007
Table 89 Pre-paid Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: 2007-2012
Table 90 Pre-paid Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: % Growth 2007-2012
STORE CARD TRANSACTIONS IN BELGIUM
HEADLINES
TRENDS
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
PROSPECTS
SECTOR DATA
Table 91 Store Cards Sector Performance: 2002-2007
Table 92 Store Cards Sector Performance: % Growth 2002-2007
Table 93 Store Cards: Number of Cards by Issuer 2002-2006
Table 94 Store Cards Transactions by Acquirer 2002-2006
Table 95 Store Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: 2007-2012
Table 96 Store Cards: Forecast Sector Performance: % Growth 2007-2012