News

EFTA event to examine impact of debit settlements

August 24, 2003

HERNDON, Va. -- The Electronic Funds Transfer Association (EFTA), a trade group for the electronic payments industry, will host a one-day conference focusing on the effect of the Visa and MasterCard retail settlements on banks, retailers and consumers on Oct. 1 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.

The conference, the first public industry forum to examine the effects of the landmark settlements on consumer payments, will offer several informational sessions, including: "The New Debit Reality," "What the Settlement Means to Merchants," "Issuers and Acquirers Sound Off: The Challenge of the New Debit Model" and "The Three Billion Dollar Question: Is the Consumer Better Off?"

"The conference will drill down on such issues as the future of debit card payments, possible new payment opportunities, potential retail payment alternatives and the revenue impact of the settlement on banks," said H. Kurt Helwig, executive director of EFTA.

The EFTA will also host a welcome reception from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 30 at the Plaza.

To register for the conference, visit www.efta.org and click on "Future Debit: The Post-Settlement Landscape" or call the EFTA Conference Line at 888-488-7635.

Cost is $595 for EFTA members and $995 for non-members for reservations made by Sept. 17. After that date, the cost rises to $895 for EFTA members and $1,295 for non-members. Members of the ATM Industry Association (ATMIA) also will receive the discounted rate.