The Middle East and Africa region remains a fragmented market for merchant acquiring with low card acceptance, low card penetration, and falling merchant service charges

Saudi Arabia appears full of opportunity. Credit card penetration remains low and underdeveloped

Western Europe has long been one of the strongest and most profitable credit cards regions in the world. A mixture of economic prosperity, an affluent mass market, a developed banking infrastructure, and a progressive regulatory environment has meant the market for credit cards penetrates far and wide

Ireland is going through one of its worst economic crises in living memory, which is having a profound effect on the country’s payment cards industry

Thanks to increased volumes from emerging markets, merchant fee revenue continues to grow despite economic pressures and a push for lower fees

Financial crisis and economic turmoil bring shifting fortunes to new markets in credit card profitability, new Lafferty research shows.