The owners of cards issued by banks in Romania carried out card payments of EUR 2.1 billion in Romania and abroad in the first nine months of this year, up 21% year-on-year, according to Romania’s National Bank (BNR).

Some 82% of the total value accounted for payments made in the country whereas 18% represented card payments made abroad, reports local Ziarul Financiar.

The value of card payments is still way lower than that of cash withdrawals. ATM withdrawals amounted to EUR 8.9 billion in the first nine months of the year, up 14% year-on-year.

Romanians are beginning to use cards for their daily shopping, not only for holidays or when they go abroad.

editor@romania-insider.com