Dear Colleagues,

The global payments industry is moving at a fast pace. Driven by pressure from major e-commerce and IT giants like Google, Samsung and Apple, financial institutions have been fervently pursuing standardization initiatives – both within SEPA[i] and at a global level – in a bid to improve services to customers and assure their central intermediation role in the payments ecosystem. Meanwhile,

Cardist, Istanbul – Turkey, 12th May 2010 Continued demand for increased security and convenience is fuelling growth according to Smart Payment Association (SPA) .

4th February 2010 - Smart Payment Association announces the publication of its latest white paper

5th November 2009 - Munich, Germany – Austria Card has joined the Smart Payment Association (SPA), the organization dedicated to promoting and facilitating the use of smart cards for payment worldwide.

July 2009 - Following its decision to enlarge its scope to get members from new horizons such as issuers and operatorsGovernment bodies, Universities and Laboratories, Eurosmart welcomes three new members...

June 2009 - Munich, Germany - The Smart Payment Association (SPA), which brings together the industry’s largest manufacturers of payment smart cards, has completed its 2008 internal market monitoring activity, undertaken in order to get a better understanding of the current status of the payment smart card market and its key trends.

June 2008 Figures highlight key trends in financial smart cards: a continued growth in the market, a surge in contactless adoption, advanced technology for increased security

April 2007 Figures highlight key trends in financial smart cards: a dynamic market, more addedvalue applications, more security.