The Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina has published a regular annual report on card operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the past year. The report states that at the end of 2023, the total number of active cards was 2,454,350 and that it was 121,219 more than in 2022.
Cards were issued to their clients by 21 banks in BiH, and the market is dominated by debit cards, with a share of 83.97 percent, with a marked growth trend.
The value of card transactions is increasing, and in 2023 it amounted to 16,196,923,326 BAM, which is an increase of 14.85 percent compared to the previous year. The continuity of the growth in the value of card transactions from year to year is evident.
The total number of card transactions was 159,566,461 and a growing trend can be observed. The average value of one transaction was 102 BAM and is higher by 4 BAM compared to 2022, while the average annual turnover per card was 6,599 BAM and is higher by 554 BAM compared to 2022.
The data indicate an evident growth in card traffic on the Internet. The percentage of realized card traffic on the Internet in the country was 37 percent, and abroad 63 percent of the total card traffic on the Internet.
The growth of card transactions at ATMs, POS and the Internet was also recorded. Of the total value of card transactions, 69 percent were realized at ATMs, 27 percent were realized through POS devices, while 4 percent were realized via the Internet.
Realized value abroad of cards issued by Bosnia and Herzegovina. of the bank was reduced in 2023 by 5 percent compared to 2022, and amounts to 750,337,678 BAM. In the structure of transactions, cash withdrawals at ATMs and POS devices amount to 20.83 percent, while the share related to the purchase of goods and services at POS devices is 79.17 percent.
Compared to 2022, the realized value of foreign cards in BiH increased. banks and shops by 13.40 percent and amounts to 3,357,981,311 BAM. In the structure of transactions, cash withdrawals at ATMs and POS devices account for 58.43 percent, while the share of purchases of goods and services at POS devices is 41.57 percent.
Banks are constantly working on introducing more ATM and/or POS devices into their offer. In the past year, a total of 1,717 ATM devices and 34,019 POS devices were installed. Of the total number of installed POS devices, 33,614 were installed in stores and 405 at bank counters, data from the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina show.