MasterCard International PIN Debit Network Shows Strong Growth

Merchant acceptance of MasterCard PIN debit cards likewise grew substantially in 2004. Consumers can now make PIN debit POS transactions with their MasterCard and Maestro branded card at more than 8.4 million merchant locations globally. Furthermore, Cirrus, the worlds largest PIN-based ATM brand, is unsurpassed in offering safe, secure access to cash and other banking services at more than 1 million ATMs around the world. This represents an 8.7 percent increase from December 2003. Strong Regional Results: -- Europe continues to be the largest cardholder base for Maestro with almost 258 million cards as of December 31, 2004, a 7.6 percent increase over the same date in 2003. The regions PIN debit gross dollar volume (GDV) surpassed $1.1 trillion for year-end 2004. Maestro purchase transactions for 2004 totaled 5.4 billion. -- The number of Maestro cards issued in Asia/Pacific rose to 148.1 million as of December 31, 2004. GDV for PIN debit activity in the region was nearly $144 billion, with purchase volume at $29.4 billion. Maestro purchase transactions for the year totaled 571.4 million. -- Maestro card numbers increased 28.8 percent to almost 81 million cards in Latin America as of December 31, 2004, compared to the same period in 2003. GDV for PIN debit activity in the region for the year was $45.8 billion, with purchase volume at more than $8.2 billion. Maestro purchase transactions for 2004 totaled 387.2 million. -- The South Asia, Middle East and Africa region also experienced exceptional card growth, with more than a 44 percent increase to 29.4 million cards by the end of 2004, compared to the end of 2003. GDV for PIN debit activity in the region for the year-end was $68.2 billion, with purchase volume at $5.3 billion. Maestro purchase transactions over the same period totaled 68.4 million. -- In the United States, PIN debit purchase transactions grew 456 percent for the fourth quarter of 2004 compared to 2003. As of December 31, 2004, there were nearly 1.5 million merchant locations accepting MasterCard and Maestro, as well as 383,000 Cirrus ATMs.