News

ATMs, transactions growing in Bulgaria

February 15, 2004

BULGARIA - Payments made via ATMs have increased three times over the last year, according to data from Bulgaria's Bank Organization for Payments Initiated by Cards (BORICA).

According to a Sofia News Service report citing BORICA data, bill payments via ATMs rose from BGN 1.1 million (U.S. $704,902) in 2002 to BGN 3.8 million (U.S. $2.4 million) in 2003.

The number of card transactions conducted over the Internet increased from 36,441 in 2002 to 90,510 in 2003. More than 13,000 payments were made by telephone in 2003.

Bulgarians also saw an increase in the number of ATMs in their country. There were 1,222 in 2003, an increased of 393 machines over the previous year.

More and more Bulgarians now have credit and debit cards, according to BORICA. The number of cardholders reached 2.41 million in 2003, up from about 1.6 million in 2002.