Hansabankas has issued a millionth Visa card
2008-01-30 Back
Hansabankas, which belongs to Swedbank, a leading financial group in the Baltic and Nordic countries, has issued a millionth VISA system’s card. This memorable card was a debit Visa Electron card issued last week to Ms. Jovita Korguniene (who lives in Baltoji Voke, in Vilnius region. Lithuania).
All in all, Hansabankas has issued over 1.3 million payment cards, the majority of which are Visa cards preferred by customers in most cases. According to Antanas Danys, Head of Retail Banking Division of Hansabankas, this event marks an important stage of successful cooperation with Visa Europe organization. Says he: "The partnership with the Visa organization which started nearly a decade ago has produced excellent results given that payment cards have become one of key tools for the handling of customers’ daily financial matters in this country. Moreover, acquisition of payment cards remains on an ongoing rise, as they are more and more valued not only for convenience of paying for goods and services but also for increasing possibilities of borrowing and using them abroad and elsewhere. We are glad to cooperate with our partner, Visa Europe, to increase volumes of quality services to the expanding market".
Sven Estwall, Senior Vice President of Visa Europe and General Director for North European region noted that the millionth Visa card issued by Hansabankas proved a fast growth of Lithuanian payment market. Hansabank Group’s banks issued the first million of Visa cards in three Baltic countries nearly five years ago. Almost half of them were issued in Lithuania.
Hansabankas was the first bank to have started installing (in conjunction with Visa Europe) microchip-based POSs at merchants’ sites in 2002 and issuing first Visa "smart" cards in 2003. "The abovementioned millionth card belongs to this type too", reminded S. Estwall.
Cooperation between Hansabankas (the then Lietuvos Taupomasis Bankas) and Visa Europe commenced in 1998 and has been continuously strengthening throughout the whole decade. The first microchip-based cards issued by Hansabankas were Visa cards. In addition, the Bank took an active part in Visa Europe-sponsored Olympic Games campaigns by issuing Visa Electron cards bearing special designs to mark Olympic Games held in Athens and Turin. Hansabankas also contributed to mutual campaigns aimed at promotion of usage of payment cards.
Currently, both personal and business customers may order Visa and other cards with designs chosen/created by themselves.
