The Development and Transformation of the Bank Card Market as an Imperative for Digitalization: the Case of Central and Eastern European Countries

The purpose of this study is to determine the development trends of the major determinants of the bank card market in eight countries of Central and Eastern Europe in the period from 2010 to 2019. Continuing a study carried out in 2018, further comparative analysis of the “Bank Cards Market Index” proposed earlier and based on a system of interrelated indicators of bank payment cards, ATMs and POS‑terminals, was carried out. We provide an overview of the rankings of Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Russia, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia using international ranking systems such as “The Legatum Prosperity Index,” “Doing Business,” “The Index of Economic Freedom,” and the “Вank Cards Market Index.” Further studies of three international ranking systems, as well as the “Bank Cards Market Index,” again confirmed the similarity of the development models of the bank card market in Poland and Ukraine. To study the impact of the digitalization of economics and Covid–19 on the bank card market, a deeper analysis of two cases (Poland and Ukraine, as two similar bank card markets) was carried out using the “Digital Evolution Index.” In the course of the research, it was concluded that the “Вank Cards Market Index” can be successfully used for further research of the banking sector of different countries. Also, the growth trend of cashless payments in the bank card market and the possible transformation of the market under the influence of Covid–19, and the global digitalization of economics were noticed. Taking into account the above trend, further studies of the system of interrelated indicators of bank payment cards, ATMs, and POS terminals should be carried out using the “Digital Evolution Index” or other international indexes that characterize the level of digitalization of the economy in the researched countries.

DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTRONIC TRADE IN AZERBAIJAN AND SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS IN THIS FIELD

The article provides information on the establishment and development of e-commerce in Azerbaijan, emphasizing that the scale of this field will expand in our country in a short time. Information was provided on the number of payment cards in Azerbaijan in 2016-2020, the volume of non-cash payments, transactions with debit and credit cards, transactions per ATM and one POS-terminal. The article also notes the volume of transactions carried out by foreigners visiting Azerbaijan through bank cards in January-October 2021 and e-commerce in Azerbaijan in January-October 2019-2021.

The Use Of Payment Cards In Kazakhstan: Analysis And Forecast

The aim of the study is to analyze and forecast the use of payment cards for making non-cash payments through national payment systems in Kazakhstan. Based on this goal, a hypothesis was put forward that in Kazakhstan, there is a relationship between the number of payment cards and the volume of non-cash payments. This hypothesis was confirmed because of the study. The information base of the study was the data on payment cards, which were taken from the Statistical Bulletin of the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Hypothesis testing was carried out using correlation analysis for three periods: 2009, 2016, 2020. The method of finding Pearson’s correlation in the SPSS program was used. The results showed a downward change in the relationship between the selected indicators and the amount of funds transferred over time. Also, in this study, a forecast was made for 2021-2023 for the indicators under consideration. To make a forecast for the indicators under consideration, a graphical method (polynomial trend line) was used. The resulting forecast shows the growth of cardholders and, consequently, the spread of the number of payment cards among the population in 2021-2023. The practical significance of this study is that the proposed methodology can help predict the dynamics of payment cards in any country in the world. Recommendations are also given for further improving the financial system, since increasing the transparency of monetary circulation in small-and-medium sized businesses will lead to a positive result in the implementation of the program for universal declaration of income in 2025.

An Application of the Tourist Test to Colombian Merchants

Cash is still widely used in Colombia, even among merchants that accept payment cards. Indeed, 60% of these merchants use dissuasive strategies to make their clients pay with cash. This shows that merchant service costs (MSC) for cards are not optimal in the sense of the Tourist Test. We present estimates of MSC compatible with the Tourist Test, such that merchants are indifferent between being paid with cash or cards. We find that cash is less costly than cards at the average retail-sales transaction-value, hence there is no positive optimal MSC at this ticket value. For the average card transaction ticket, the optimal MSC would be positive but far below the rates charge by the industry (0.74% in a short-term scenario). Yet, the additional incentive that sales-tax evasion provides to cash payments reduces the Tourist Test MSC to 0.44%. Our estimates for long-term scenarios yield even lower optimal MSC. An average price cap regulation that strikes a middle ground between these figures, and is complemented with sales-tax evasion measures, should discourage merchant strategies that deter consumers from paying with cards and will accommodate the wide heterogeneity in merchants´ scale, payment processing processes and ticket size. These results should be taken as a guideline as the estimations depend on the underlying assumptions and only consider the merchant´s side of the card industry.

Fear of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Social Distancing as Factors Determining the Change in Consumer Payment Behavior at Retail and Service Outlets

The aim of this study was to identify the factors inducing customers to choose cashless payments made with payment cards at retail and service outlets during the COVID-19 pandemic. We identified factors that are crucial for consumers’ functioning under pandemic conditions, but which have so far been neglected in research. The estimated logit model indicates that the variables significantly influencing the more frequent choice of payment cards at retail outlets are related to the fear of infection and perception of the advantages of new technological solutions in connection with social distancing. Our study shows that, in addition to sociodemographic characteristics such as age and level of education, emotionally motivated factors induced by the pandemic have begun to play an important role in the transition to cashless payment.

Financial Fraud Detection in Plastic Payment Cards using Isolation Forest Algorithm

The need for technology has always found space in Financial Transaction as the number of fraud in financial transactions increases day by day. In this research we have proposed a new methodology by using the isolation forest algorithm and local outlier detection algorithm to detect the financial fraud. A standard data set is used in experimentation to classify a transaction occurred is a fraudulent or not. We have used neural networks and machine learning for classification. We have focused on the deployment of anomaly detection algorithms that is Local Outlier Factor and Isolation Forest algorithm (IFA) on financial fraud transactions data.

ANALYSIS OF PAYMENT CARDS FRAUD TRANSACTIONS AND MEASURES TO PREVENT THEM

Topicality. The trends of fraud and the history of fraud in general with the emergence of new gaps due to the rapid development of information technology is analysed in the article.The systematization of types and forms of fraudulent intervention, their consequences and ways of counteraction taking into account the interests of users is made.Aim and tasks. The causes of payment card fraud, the main forms and types of possible fraudulent transactions and areas of payment card fraud were further classified and investigated.Research results. The investigation revealed the most common cases, including lost and stolen payment cards, counterfeit cards and fraudulent transactions without a payment card, and identified measures to combat them. At the same time, the ways of using different methods for the implementation of fraudulent transactions were analyzed. In the context of the rapid growth of e-commerce during the global pandemic, widespread fraud and steps to be taken against them have been revealed. Another noteworthy part of the research is the continuation of research in the language of numbers based on statistical data, as well as the collection and accuracy of statistical reporting.Conclusion. Thus, first, the cases of fraud on payment card transactions in the European Union were disclosed, and then the correlation coefficient between payment transactions in the payment card market in the Republic of Azerbaijan and fraudulent transactions was calculated. An investigation was also conducted into the implementation of preventive measures against fraudulent transactions, which are important for financial institutions and payment service users, as well as and the steps to be taken in a consistent manner are explained in the article. The life cycle of payment cards is divided into three main stages, customer acceptance, identification and decision-making, the specific features of each stage and ways to prevent risks in these stages are noted in the article. In the end, the results of the research are reflected in the conclusion section of the article.

Documenting the Purchase of Fuels and Lubricants by the Enterprise

The order of documentation of operations on receipt of fuels and lubricants to the enterprise as a result of their acquisition through stationary points on production sites and through third-party gas stations with various forms of calculations is defined. It is found that companies receive fuel and lubricants on the basis of agreements concluded with gas stations, which indicate the brand, type of fuel, its price, the moment of transfer of ownership, method of receipt, place of receipt of fuel. It is established that the implementation and reflection in the accounting of the purchase of fuels and lubricants is influenced by the method of refueling – through gas stations or stationary points at the production sites of the enterprise. Documenting the refueling of motor vehicles through stationary points at the production sites of the enterprise is similar to the registration of the movement of inventories. Documenting the refueling of motor vehicles through gas stations depends on the type of payment (cash or non-cash) and their form (information, coupons, fuel cards). It is reported when purchasing fuel and lubricants by cashless payment without the use of coupons for the release of fuel at the gas station. The peculiarity of the release of fuel on coupons is the restriction of their validity for a certain period. It is established that the modern means of payment for purchased fuel are liter and cash fuel cards, as well as bank payment cards. The authors developed document flow schemes for operations on the receipt of fuel and lubricants when refueling vehicles through stationary points at the production sites of the enterprise and through third-party gas stations in the case of information, coupons, fuel cash and liter cards can be used to improve the accounting of fuel and lubricants at the enterprise.

Zmiany zachowań konsumenckich w zakresie przeprowadzania transakcji gotówkowych i bezgotówkowych

Contemporary changes involving the computerization of everyday life affect its every sphere. This is especially true of the financial world. Until recently, the basic form of payments were of cash, whereas currently they constitute only a small part of all in trade. Even in everyday shopping, payment cards are already widely used, and traditional money is systematically being replaced by non-cash money. Taking these observations into account, the aim of the study was to identify the pace of changes in consumer attitudes in the use of selected services offered by the banking sector, i.e. the use of ATMs and the use of payment cards. The work was based on quarterly data for the period 2005 Q1 – 2020 Q1 provided by the National Bank of Poland. The analyses examined the rate of changes and their seasonal distribution. The analyzed data show that society uses fewer and fewer cash withdrawals from ATMs, although larger amounts are withdrawn. The fact that ATMs are used less frequently reduces their number. However, the non-cash payments market is constantly developing. This form is characterized by the highest growth dynamics. There are also changes in seasonal behavior. Today, more transactions are made in the second and third quarters. Quite unexpectedly, it was observed that the number of transactions in the fourth quarters was lower than the number of transactions in the second and third quarters. However, the fewest transactions are invariably carried out in the first quarters. Depending on the instrument, the differences amount to two to ten percentage points. In general, research shows that in a stable market, trust in non-cash money grows at the expense of cash. Only a crisis situation – in 2020 it was the declaration of a pandemic – there is a slightly increased interest in cash.