The plastic cards market is still developing dynamically in Georgia. By July 1 of the current year, the number of banking plastic cards issued by 13 commercial banks, among existing 22 ones in Georgia, reached 2.9 million. This is almost twice as high as the indicator for the same period of 2007. The 88.6 percent are debit cards, as compared to 97.2 percent a year ago. This is a result of fast growing demand for credit cards. If the growth of the number of debit cards for the last year constituted 76.1 percent, the number of credit cards increased 7.9 times over the same period.

The growing popularity of VISA cards is still notable - such cards account for 78.2 percent of all cards in circulation. EUROCARD/MASTERCARD has a 13.9 percent market share, and local cards take up the remaining 7.9 percent. It should be emphasized that the share of VISA cards among the total amount of cards in circulation increased by 10.3 points during the last year.

The volume of operations carried out with plastic cards has been increasing. In June of the current year 2.5 mln operation was carried out with plastic cards, issued by resident commercial banks, total value of which reached 373.5 mln GEL - more than 73.2 percent as compared to June 2007. The 94.9 percent of total value of operations with plastic cards issued by resident commercial banks were carried out within Georgian territory (including operations by internet), and the remaining 5.1 percent - in abroad.

It is important to mention about Plastic Card Services, carried out with the resident commercial bank's ATMs and POS-terminals. In June of the current year 1038.4 thousands operations were realized with them, total value of which made up 218.0 mln GEL. The 87.6 percent of this amount falls on cards, issued by resident banks, and 12.4 percent - on cards issued by non-residents.

Current statistical information is published on the statistics page of the NBG's website.