Lebanon Cards & Payments: Opportunities and Risks to 2023

Lebanon Cards & Payments: Opportunities and Risks to 2023

Summary

The 'Lebanon Cards & Payments: Opportunities and Risks to 2023' report provides detailed analysis of market trends in Lebanon's cards and payments industry. It provides values and volumes for a number of key performance indicators in the industry, including cards and cheques during the review-period (2015-19e).

The report also analyzes various payment card markets operating in the industry, and provides detailed information on the number of cards in circulation, transaction values and volumes during the review-period and over the forecast-period (2019e-23f). It also offers information on the country's competitive landscape, including the market shares of issuers and schemes.

The report brings together research, modeling, and analysis expertise to allow banks and card issuers to identify segment dynamics and competitive advantages. The report also covers details of regulatory policy and recent changes in the regulatory structure.

The 'Lebanon Cards & Payments: Opportunities and Risks to 2023' report provides top-level market analysis, information and insights into Lebanon's cards and payments industry, including -

• Current and forecast values for each market in Lebanon's cards and payments industry, including debit, credit and charge cards.
• Detailed insights into payment instruments including cheques and cards. It also, includes an overview of the country's key alternative payment instruments.
• E-commerce market analysis.
• Analysis of various market drivers and regulations governing Lebanon's cards and payments industry.
• Detailed analysis of strategies adopted by banks and other institutions to market debit, credit and charge cards.

Scope

• To strengthen consumer confidence in card-based payments, BDL issued a circular in March 2018 prohibiting the double-swiping of payment cards at POS terminals. Double-swiping allows merchants to store customers’ card details in their database, which could be stolen if accessed by fraudsters. The restriction is intended to prevent unauthorized storage and access of card information.
• Alternative payments are gradually gaining prominence in Lebanon. In May 2019, Lebanon-based fintech areeba partnered with payment service provider Wallet Factory to develop mWallet. The wallet - which is expected to launch by the end of 2019 - will enable users to make online, in-app, in-store, and utility bill payments, as well as P2P fund transfers. In October 2018, Creditbank and Visa launched Creditbank Pay, which offers contactless payments. Meanwhile, Fortumo is a direct carrier billing service launched in Lebanon via a collaboration between mobile network operators Alfa and Touch in June 2015. The service allows Fortumo users to charge payments for products to their mobile phone bills.
• The emergence of new technologies such as contactless and biometrics will further boost electronic payments. Major banks such as Bank Audi, Bank of Beirut, and BLOM Bank now offer contactless cards. In addition, major scheme providers Visa and Mastercard offer their respective payWave and PayPass contactless payment technologies in Lebanon. Companies are also introducing biometric features on payment cards to provide a more secure and convenient payment experience. In July 2018, Fransabank collaborated with Mastercard to launch the country’s first biometric credit card, enabling card holders to authenticate in-store payments using their fingerprint.

Reasons to Buy

• Make strategic business decisions, using top-level historic and forecast market data, related to Lebanon's cards and payments industry and each market within it.
• Understand the key market trends and growth opportunities in Lebanon's cards and payments industry.
• Assess the competitive dynamics in Lebanon's cards and payments industry.
• Gain insights into marketing strategies used for various card types in Lebanon.
• Gain insights into key regulations governing Lebanon's cards and payments industry.