We notice you are visiting from a U.S. Internet provider. 
10/08/2010 -
With new regulations and rules looming over the heads of financial institutions, banks are pushing for greater debit card use at credit-debit machines.The 2010 Debit Issuer Study, commissioned by Pulse, has found that 72 percent of card issuers have identified debit card performance as a top priority this year. The issuers said that they hope to increase penetration, activation and usage through various tactics including instant issuance technology.
The technology allows banks to give cardholders their debit card immediately when opening a demand deposit account, rather than receiving the card later via mail. The analysis found that instant issuance is increasing - in 2009, 35 percent of issuers offered it, while in 2008, only 28 percent did.
Additionally, many financial institutions are considering introducing a new business debit card program. "Although 70 percent of financial institutions issue business debit cards, this segment comprises only six percent of the total debit card market," said Tony Hayes, partner at Oliver Wyman, which conducted the study.
Larger banks will have to battle credit unions for business card supremacy. According to the Credit Union Times, a recent survey by Card Services for Credit Unions revealed that in 2009, credit union-issued business cards increased by 11 percent, while business cards only increased by 4.8 percent overall.
