Jump of 30% in online card transactions

Card transactions have soared 30% this year, largely thanks to the growth in online commerce as a result of the pandemic, according to figures compiled by Mastercard.

This rise, observed in the period from January to October, highlights how quickly consumers embraced e-commerce, with a 39% jump in online card transactions being recorded in April - the first full month of the spring lockdown.

In the same period, the use of cards at physical points of sale increased by 14%, supported by the fact that banks have raised the limit for contactless payments to 50 euros per transaction.

Mastercard country manager for Greece, Cyprus and Malta Aspa Palimeri told an online press conference that "the pandemic has been a catalyst for a series of changes in consumer behavior regarding their transactions and purchases, taking the penetration of contactless payments to a...