Financial Stability
Indian banks woo credit card users
INDIA - India's largest commercial bank plans a credit card revolution that it hopes will increase its share of the retail banking market by 47%.
Reserve Bank of Australia Discussion Paper
RESEARCH - Reserve Bank of Australia Discussion Paper: Options for EFTPOS Interchange Fee Reform, EFTPOS Industry Working Group, July 2002.
Norges Bank Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - Norges Banks Annual Report on Payment Systems for 2001, 2 July.
Bank plans to unveil Islamic 'credit card'
UAE - National Bank of Sharjah (NBS), which enjoys the rare distinction of being the world's first and the only conventional bank to have converted into an Islamic bank, is planning to launch an Islamic 'credit' card, reports Gulf News.
Credit card boom assessed in Thailand
THAILAND - Recent research suggests that changes made by Thailand's central bank to the requirements for card applicants could double the number of credit cards held in the country by the end of the year.
Armenia to reinforce protective features of notes
ARMENIA - From 1 July 2002, the Central Bank of Armenia will put into circulation 1,000-dram banknotes with an enhanced protection system and a number of changes in its design.
Malaysia to introduce smart cards next year
MALAYSIA - While commercial banks will reimburse those who had money illegally withdrawn from automated teller machines, Bank Negara has directed banks to replace magnetic strips with chip technology from next year.
Black rivals aim to take the shine off gold cards
UK - When it comes to credit cards, black is the new gold reported Tuesday's Financial Times. National Westminster Bank has launched the first of a new class of premium cards aimed at the country's highest earners and designed to leave the gold card…
Federal Reserve Board Press Release
PRESS RELEASE - Joint Press Release by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, 20 June.
China's e-banks gaining popularity
CHINA - At least 2.5m Chinese "netizens" - about 23 per cent of the country's regular Internet users - are likely to use electronic banking services, said a recent AC Nielsen survey on e-banking, reports the New China News Agency.
US brings colour to new 'greenback' notes
US - The end of the greenback could be close, it is reported. The US government on Thursday announced plans to introduce other colours on dollar bills to help tourists tell the different notes apart.
Bank of Canada's promotional video
VIDEO - the Bank of Canada had released an online video detailing how the bank maintains the value of the Canadian dollar.
Euro goes to court over trade mark dispute
EUROPE - The European Commission will be forced to defend the design of the euro symbol in court today less than six months after the introduction of the single currency. The emblem has become the subject of a trademark battle with Thomas Cook and…
Chinese central banker - card development vital
CHINA - The Vice-Governor of the People's Bank of China Xiao Gang said Tuesday that the increased acceptance of banking cards was vital to raising commercial banks' competitiveness and facilitating daily life for the public.
Egypt cb opens new check clearing house
EGYPT - The new electronic Cairo Clearing House at the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) was inaugurated yesterday. Its services will be available to banks nationwide and its computerized system will be capable of clearing up to 100,000 cheques a day.
Loyalty not on RBA cards
FEATURE - Ian Macfarlane and his Reserve Bank appear set on making their proposed changes to the open card schemes, Bankcard, Mastercard and Visa, by the end of the year, regardless of the growing belief the "reforms" will harm the people the central…
Speech by Cathy Minehan, Boston Fed Bank, 8 May
SPEECH - In a speech titled 'U.S. Retail Payments: Change, Challenge and Opportunity' Minehan said "the payments system today faces sources of significant change--change in the form of new payments choices by consumers and businesses, driven by the…
JD1 coin to be replaced by new banknote in Jordan
JORDAN - The Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) is expected to soon circulate new banknotes, to replace the current round JD1 coins, following numerous cases of counterfeit detected by security and financial authorities, a bank official said on Tuesday.
Bank of England News Release
NEWS RELEASE - Serial Numbers of £5 Banknotes, 27 May.
New £5 coin would make more sense
LETTER - A letter published in the London edition of the Financial Times on 28 May.
Problem with ink found on new Bank of England note
UK - The Bank of England began an urgent investigation Monday after several people reported that serial numbers on new, anti-counterfeit bank notes had rubbed off on their hands.
Bank of England News Release
NEWS RELEASE - New Design £5 Banknotes, 21 May.
Issues in Electronic Banking: An Overview
RESEARCH - IMF Policy Discussion Paper, Monetary and Exchange Affairs Department, prepared by Andrea Schaechter, March 2002.
Banco de Brasilia fails central bank online test
BRAZIL - Brazilian bank Banco de Brasilia topped the central bank's online consumer complaint ranking in April, knocking financial group Grupo Santander Brasil from first to second place, according to information published on the central bank's site.