Trend and dynamics of card payment system in India

Payment system in India has undergone a dramatic change in recent years. The payment through cards, using both debit and credit cards, is one of the early innovations in the modern payment system in the country. Several intermediaries are involved in the effective functioning of card payment mechanism. As a result, the card payment infrastructure has grown remarkably well across India. The volume of payments made through these devices as well as the value of card payments increased rapidly in the last two decades. Among the commercial banks, the State Bank of India dominates in the maintenance of ATM infrastructure, the issue of cards and in the volume and value of card transaction. The private sector banks dominate in the installation of POS terminals and HDFC bank tops in the POS credit card transaction. However, the recent trend shows that the transaction through cards as a percentage of total retail electronic payments has been declining in India, as other retail payments platforms have become popular.

Biometric technology in banking institutions: ‘The customers’ perspectives’

Background: Over the years, attention has been focused on digital banking and financial technology with little or no attention being paid to biometric banking technology.Objective: The study aimed to investigate the need for security and simplicity in the authentication of retail payments, digital banking and financial technology through the application of biometric systems.Method: The study employed quantitative research methodology and a response rate of 52% was achieved. A set of questionnaires was distributed for data collection.Results: The study’s findings indicated it is imperative for all businesses that participate in financial businesses to fully implement the best possible security measures or systems to ensure or enhance security for financial business activities.Conclusion: Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that businesses must adopt the new innovative and secured mechanisms of financial dealings to enhance innovation, security and flexibility.

Retail Payments Strategy for the EU versus the challenges of the payment sector

Motivation: The payment services sector has become one of the main areas for the development of financial innovation and the key element of the digital economy. However, the payment services market in the European Union (called the European Payments Market) is still fragmented along national borders, insufficiently integrated, and facing several challenges. Therefore, the newly announced Retail Payments Strategy for the EU is a document of great importance for the future of the entire EU economy, and deserves in-depth study. Aim: The purpose of this paper is to assess whether the trends and challenges identified by the European Commission in the Retail Payments Strategy, and the general directions and proposed actions presented in this document, appropriately reflect the challenges faced by the European payment market. Results: A comparative analysis of the Strategy’s assumptions and proposed actions was conducted, in relation to the identified challenges of the payment sector. The empirical data were derived from a survey of 202 experts from all EU member states, and the UK, Norway and Switzerland, covering all types of bank and non-bank payment market players. The analysis confirmed that the Strategy identified the main challenges and opportunities, in line with the results of the expert survey: the need for further development of open banking; cross-border integration and development of instant payments systems; and ensuring access to the banking payment infrastructure, including contactless and NFC mobile payments. However, the proposed directions of action in selected areas have not been sufficiently rationalised, and most of the actions have been left to be specified in the future. In addition, the Strategy relies mostly on the use of regulatory tools that may limit innovativeness. Although the Commission and the surveyed experts agreed in recognising the challenges related to the increasing role of BigTechs in the payment sector, no comprehensive solution addressing the related challenges was proposed in the Strategy.

Implementation of retail payments by QR-code in Russia as a driver for the development of national payment system (economic aspects)

Problem statement. Drawing on macroeconomic analysis (2011-2019), the author formulates the key problems in the functioning of retail segment of the national payment system: a) differentiation of regions according to the degree of payment infrastructure development; b) disproportion in the availability of trace elements of the payment infrastructure; c) high cost of acquiring services. The underlying scientific hypothesis is the possibility to overcome the above-mentioned problems by introducing retail payments using QR codes. The study examines economic relations arising in calculations using QR codes in Russia’s retail payment system. The methodological base of the study includes theoretical assumptions of banking management, as well as a problem-oriented approach. The study identifies a range of economic problems in the implementation of QR settlements in Russia which include: the need to upgrade mobile banking; banks’ lack of interest in promoting QR code settlements due to fears of lower transaction returns; a decrease in citizens’ interest in cashless payments caused by a contraction in bank loyalty programs; the inertia of entrepreneurs unwilling to switch from cash-based interaction with customers; the inertia of some customers and their lack of financial literacy; cyber threats; risks of unfair behavior of buyers. The author offers and justifies the ways to overcome them. The findings may help improve state regulation in Russia’s financial and banking sector.

Modern models of systems of central bank digital currency

The article examines modern models of digital currency systems of central banks (CBDC) for retail payments and wholesale settlements. The study gives economic interpretation and defines the key characteristics of central bank digital currencies, identifies the features of the main models of digital currencies systems and analyzes the most advanced national implementation projects of CBDC. The study concludes that the digital currencies of central banks are a new (digital) form of fiat money. The implementation of digital currencies of central banks is due to the need to improve the efficiency of the monetary and payment systems and is aimed at preserving of the central banks as a monetary issuer. The main advantages of digital currencies for retail payments are the offer of a highly liquid, low-risk and universally accessible means of payment. The key benefits of wholesale digital currencies are to provide faster, safer, and cheaper cross-border payments. Among the models of digital currencies systems for retail payments (R-CBDC) the model of hybrid system is characterized by the best reliability and speed when processing a large number of payment transactions. Therefore, these systems are the most promising for implementation. Between the models of systems for wholesale payments (W-CBDC) systems with a universal digital currency are the most suitable for eliminating the main problems of cross-border payments. However, the implementation of such systems may require a large number of technological, managerial and financial changes in the payment systems of central banks. Currently, the most advanced project for issuing R-CBDC is the DCEP system of the People’s Bank of China, which is implemented on the basis of a hybrid model. W-CBDC projects are implemented jointly by the central banks of the leading countries, as they require financial and technological unification of settlements. Most projects of W-CBDC involve the use of systems with a convertible or universal digital currency.

Review of the influences of COVID-19 pandemic on tourism

COVID-19 has become a major global pandemic since Jan 2020, which has made a deep impact on tourism industry. There is ongoing research about how the tourism industry is impacted by this global crisis. Researchers have explored the ways to transform e-tourism during pandemic, a special opportunity for e-tourism. In addition, researchers had investigated how the disruption of tourism affects other industry, such as retail payments and wildlife conservation. They found that these two industries incurred loss due to the disruption of tourism to some extent and also gave some suggestions on recovery strategies. What’s more, researchers have investigated the condition of firms related to tourism and inferred that firms are hard to survive if crises lasted for more than four months without external support. At last, researchers have tried to find solutions for tourism industry to recover from the disruption. In comparison with the promotion of domestic travel, bridging travel and travel tech is more effective and highly recommended by researchers. It is meaningful and significant because tourism industry is one of the fastest growing industries which is expected to be the key contributor of regaining socio-economic stability after the pandemic.

Central Banks Digital Currencies: World Experience

Received 28.07.2020. The article examines issues related to the introduction of central bank digital currencies (CBDC) for retail payments and wholesale settlements. The study defines and classifies central bank digital currencies, researches the main models of CBDC systems. The article also analyzes the features of various national projects for issuing Central bank digital currencies. The paper uses methods of economic-statistical and functional-structural analysis. The study concludes that CBDC are a new form of central bank money. Digital currencies can be issued in various issuing systems for the purpose of retail payments or wholesale settlements. Among the models of CBDC systems for retail payments (R-CBDC) the direct system model is the most attractive for its simplicity. This model eliminates the dependence of the Central bank on any financial and payment intermediaries. Models of synthetic and hybrid R-CBDC systems are characterized by reliability and speed in processing multiple transactions which makes them the most promising for implementation. Among the models of CBDC systems for wholesale payments (W-CBDC) the model of the system with a universal digital currency (U-W-CBDC) may be the most suitable for eliminating the main disadvantages of modern cross-border payment systems. However, a large number of technological and financial changes as well as the high operating costs of the U-W-CBDC can make such systems difficult to implement for non-developed financial market infrastructure countries. National financial regulators have different motivations for issuing digital currencies. The main advantages of digital currencies for retail payments may consist in providing users with highly liquid, low-risk, universally available means of payment. The main advantages of wholesale digital currencies are that they offer faster, safer, cheaper cross-border payments. The most advanced projects for issuing R-CBDC can be considered DCEP (People’s Bank of China) E-krona (Central Bank of Sweden). The most successful pilot projects for issuing W-CBDC are the projects Jasper (Central Bank of Canada) and Ubin (Monetary Authority of Singapore), which were able to achieve interoperability in conducting cross-border payments. Currently most CBDC are retail based on the use of distributed ledger technology and implemented in the form of DLT-tokens. Countries that develop digital currency systems can be divided into three groups. The first group is countries where the introduction of CBDC can be designed to support the national demand for central bank money (Sweden, Norway, Singapore, etc.). The second group – countries for which the adoption of digital currencies can afford to keep the place of national currencies in international settlements (USA and EU) or expanding the use of national currencies at the international level (China). The third group represents countries for which the introduction of digital currencies may be associated with the control of national monetary circulation and de-dollarization of the financial system (Uruguay, South Africa, Cambodia, etc.).