Visa’s latest annual report signals a clear message for the global payments industry: 2026 will be the year when intelligence, automation, and real-time infrastructure converge to redefine how consumers and businesses move money.This shift is not incremental. It is structural – and every merchant, fintech, and financial institution must be ready. Below are the key […]
Holiday shopping has always been a test of consumer patience, retailer preparedness, and payment system resilience, but Mastercard’s latest Shopper Snapshot reveals a fundamental shift: AI is no longer a feature of the shopping experience; it is becoming the experience itself. According to the report, more than four in ten consumers already use AI tools […]
Walk into almost any shop in Georgia and you’ll see the same picture – two POS terminals sitting side by side.“Cash or card? TBC or BOG?” – questions every customer hears daily. What seems like harmless choice is, in fact, a symptom of deeper fragmentation in our payment infrastructure. Now imagine a world where every […]
The National Bank of Georgia (NBG) has announced plans to cap the merchant service fee at 0.5%. It is still a draft law and at first glance, this looks like good news for businesses, especially small retailers who often feel the weight of card acceptance costs, but the effects of this move will go far […]
I once asked a friend what difference he felt when Georgia first introduced Google Pay. He had been using an issuer wallet from one of the leading banks for years, yet the day Google Pay went live, he deleted it. Why?“Sound,” he said.That short confirmation tone after a successful payment. It’s such a tiny detail, […]
The latest National Bank of Georgia H1 2025 data highlight a fascinating split in the country’s non-cash card payment landscape: At first glance, this suggests a healthy balance between in-store (POS) and online transactions. But the reality is more complex. The Nuance Around 85% of eCommerce transactions are gambling-related, with a significant share also coming […]
In many countries, instant payments are already the norm – money moves in seconds, businesses get paid in real time, and card networks face growing competition. But in Georgia, we’re still waiting. The National Bank of Georgia has announced that instant IBAN transfers will be introduced in 2026. Why Georgians Hold So Many Banks Accounts? […]
For years, Georgia has been on steady journey toward a more digital economy. Contactless cards, mobile wallets, and online payments are now part of everyday life for many. Yet, cash is far from disappearing. Latest figures from the National Bank of Georgia show an interesting paradox: while the number of card payments continues to rise, […]