PURCHASE, N.Y. – March 31, 2016 – Americans are quickly embracing EMV chip cards, just six months after the latest milestone in the migration timeline. While consumers increasingly dip their cards to pay in-store, progress has been made by both card issuers and merchants.
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Today, MasterCard provided an update on how its cardholders, partners and customers are adopting the safer, more secure EMV chip technology:
More than two-thirds – 67 percent – of U.S.-issued MasterCard-branded consumer credit cards now feature chips. This represents a 51 percent increase in the number of consumer credit cards with chips in market since the October 1, 2015 liability shift. Consumers can use their chip cards in more places, as 1.2 million U.S. merchant locations – an increase of 121 percent – have turned on their terminals and are accepting chip card payments. In addition to national retail chains, approximately one million local and regional merchant locations are accepting chip cards.“Chip technology is an essential upgrade to better protect consumers and businesses,” said Catherine Murchie, senior vice president of North American Enterprise Security Solutions for MasterCard. “Other countries that have already adopted chips have seen significant reductions in counterfeit card fraud over time – as much as 60, 70 or even 80 percent. The U.S. industry continues to work together on EMV to generate similar results.”
MasterCard introduced its EMV and future of payments roadmap more than four years ago. Since then, the company has worked with merchants, financial institutions, acquirers, processors, terminal manufacturers and other industry players to prepare for these technology enhancements.
In 2015, the Payments Security Task Force projected that 98 percent of cards issued in the U.S. would feature chip technology by the end of 2017. This would top adoption rates by regions and countries that began implementing chip technology decades ago. Merchant EMV terminals adoption continues on track as projected in other Payment Security Task Force studies.
About MasterCard
MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.
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