Payment cards out-ranked any other payment instrument in the European Union representing 33% of all national and cross-border non-cash transactions;

Cards represent the most used instrument for cross-border payments in the European Union confirming that cards are the preferred payment method;

Most retail businesses generate between 15% - 30% more revenue than cash only establishments by accepting cards;

"VISA is the world's leading payment scheme - with over one billion cardholders and annual sales volumes approaching US$2 trillion, Visa accounts for some 60 per cent of the global payment card market."
Source: Visa International - 2003

Visa has extended this leadership position into the e-commerce environment - where Visa card accounts are used for more than half of all web-based transactions.
Source: Visa International - 2003

"Cardholders around the globe used MasterCard^®-branded cards (excluding Cirrus^® and Maestro^® online debit activity) for more than 10.8 billion purchase and cash transactions in the first nine months of 2003, generating gross dollar volume (GDV) of $916.9 billion, an increase of 5.8% over the same period in 2002."
Source: MasterCard International - Press Release.

"During the first nine months of 2003, MasterCard-branded cards were used for 9.6 billion purchase transactions. Purchase volume was $235 billion in the third quarter of 2003, an 8.8% increase from the 2002 period, with 3.4 billion transactions recorded."
Source: MasterCard International - Press Release.

"The Maestro brand mark appeared on 511.1 million cards worldwide at September 30, 2003, a 15.2% increase over the same period in 2002. Maestro was accepted for purchases at more than 9.6 million merchant terminals in 93 countries and territories, and at over 906,000 MasterCard, Maestro and Cirrus ATMs around the world."
Source: MasterCard International - Press Release.

According to American Express ("AMEX"), merchants accepting AMEX cards are benefit with:

41% of AMEX cardholders are exclusive to the card network;
Higher retail spending - Cardmembers at Retail Stores spent an average of 31% more than bankcard holders on their last retail purchase;
Loyal customers - 25% of Cardmembers who shop at Retail Stores carry only an American Express^® Card and no other major cards.
Purchasing Power - Cardmembers who shop at retail stores have an average income of $83,000.