Most Moldovans have turned the bank card into a basic means of spending, says economist Veaceslav Ionita. He noted in his author's program that almost a third of all the population's expenses are made using the card, IPN reports.
At present, 70% of Moldovans' income is spent on cards. In the third quarter of this year, 5.1 billion lei were withdrawn from cards, while 15.3 billion lei were used for payments.
According to the economist, until 2015, bank cards were used insignificantly in Moldova, but after the obligatory transfer of salaries to cards, card transactions became extremely popular.
In 2000 the annual turnover amounted to 2 million lei, and by 2024 it will reach almost 190 billion lei. Over the next few years, the growth in the number of cardholders will be slower, as most Moldovans' income is already flowing to cards. Cash withdrawals are practically not increasing and card payments are on the rise.
Currently, 6 out of 10 Moldovans have a bank account. According to the World Bank, this puts Moldova below the European average of over 80%.
