Data on Card Operations in BH in 2013

Out of the total of 28 commercial banks in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the end of 2013, 27 banks provided card services to their clients. The total number of active cards, at the end of December 2013, was 1,889,141, this being higher by 58,842 cards compared to the end of December 2012 when the number of cards was 1,830,299. The debit cards were prevailing, with 1,562,277 issued cards, followed by credit cards with the number of 209,059, and cards with deferred payment, with the number of 117,805.

The total value of transactions realized by the use of cards, in the country and abroad, amounted to around KM 7.18 billion during the last year, which is an increase of even KM 855 million compared to the previous year.

Out of the total value of transactions, around KM 4.92 billion of cash or 68% was withdrawn by ATMs, while KM 2.27 billion or 32% was realized via POS terminals (point of sale terminals), and the improvement of the ratio, which was 73% : 27% in 2012, is evident. Out of the total amount realized via POS terminals, around KM 710 million (31%) is withdrawal of cash and around KM 1.56 billion (69%) was payment of goods and services. From this data it can be seen that the ratio of the payment of goods and services by POS terminals in relation to  cash withdrawn via  POS terminals has been improved, now being 69% : 31% (in 2011 it was 60% : 40%).

The average value of a transaction was KM 115 and compared to the previous year it increased by KM 10. The average turnover per a card annually amounted to KM 3,802 (KM 317 per month), which is an increase of even KM 345 compared to 2012 when the average turnover amounted to KM 3,457. 

The amount of around KM 444 million was realized by cards of BH banks through the ATMs and POS terminals abroad. Out of that amount, the cash was withdrawn in the amount of around KM 132 million, and goods and services were paid in the amount of around KM 312 million. Compared to 2012, a growth of spending abroad, by the use of cards, in the amount of around KM 109 million, was recorded in the previous year. KM 1,38 billion was realized by the use of cards of banks from foreign countries at ATMs and POS terminals of BH banks, this being the increase by KM 427 million compared to 2012. Out of that amount, around KM 1.06 billion of cash was withdrawn at ATMs and POS terminals and the value of goods and services paid by foreign banks cards was about KM 325 million.

The decrease in cash operations at the bank counters is evident, due to the constant efforts of banks to increase the number of ATMs and POS terminals. So, in 2013 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there was the total of 1,368 ATMs (1,284 in 2012) and 20,402 POS terminals (19,320 in 2012).

There is an obvious tendency to make some internal savings by rationalizing the number of organizational units, and in 2013 their total number was decreased. The number of branches was reduced from 359 (in 2012) to 340 (in 2013), while the number of lower level organizational units (agencies, counters...) decreased from 213 to 176. Only the number of subsidiaries was increased, from 342 (in 2012) to 392 (in 2013). 

Out of the total number of banks, 28 provided the electronic banking services. There is a significant increase in the number of entities using these services, which is mostly caused by increased number of physical persons. In 2012, the number of physical persons who used the services of electronic or internet banking was 96,041, while in 2013 that number increased and amounted to 122,522.  Also, the number of legal entities using the internet for banking operations is increasing, 32,156 were covered with this service in 2013, and 29,599 in 2012.

 

The data from 2008, when only 18,000 of physical persons and 14,000 of legal entities used these services, are the best illustration of increase in the number of users of the Internet or electronic banking.

 

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