User:MherSaribekyan/ArCa (Armenian Card)

Armenian Card (ArCa, Armenian: ԱրՔա) is an Armenian payment processing center and operator of ArCa National Payment System.

History
Armenian Card CJSC was established in March 2000 by Central Bank of Armenia and ten Armenian commercial banks, supported by USAID. The goal of ArCa is to develop and implement in the banking market of Armenia all benefits that modern payment and development technologies can offer.

Since February of 2006 ArCa, with the help of United Nations Development Programme, introduced utility payments over the internet, which allowed cardholders to pay for electricity, gas, water, telecommunications and replenish mobile phone accounts.

Central Bank of Armenia and 15 of the 17 commercial banks are shareholders of Armenian Card CJSC. Notably, Mellat Bank Armenia, https://www.mellatbank.am/en/home, and VTB-Armenia Bank, https://www.vtb.am/, are not member of the ArCa System.


 * Ardshinbank, https://www.ardshinbank.am/en
 * Ameriabank, https://ameriabank.am/en/
 * Armeconombank, https://aeb.am/en/
 * Artsakhbank, http://artsakhbank.am/en/home
 * ID Bank, https://www.idbank.am/en/
 * ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank, https://www.acba.am/en/
 * Conversebank, https://www.conversebank.am/en/
 * Inecobank, https://www.inecobank.am/en/Individual
 * HSBC Bank Armenia, https://www.hsbc.am/en-am/
 * Byblos Bank Armenia, https://www.byblosbankarmenia.am/en
 * Unibank, https://prive.unibank.am/en/
 * Evocabank, https://www.evoca.am/en
 * ArmSwiss Bank, https://www.armswissbank.am/en/
 * Araratbank, https://www.araratbank.am/hy/
 * Armbusinessbank, http://www.armbusinessbank.am/en/

As of CBA August 2021, the number of active payment cards in Armenia were 2 621 025 in total.

Payment Processing
Armenian Card is the main payment processor in Armenia. ArCa member banks rely on ArCa to process payment card transactions from ArCa, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Diners Club cards. Armenian commercial banks have one payment processor, which removes the need of implementing a payment processor by each bank. But on the other hand, when ArCa encounters technical difficulties, all card transactions in Armenia come to a stop.

Card-to-Card or C2C Transfers
ArCa allows ArCa member bank customers to perform instant card to card transfers between ArCa member banks. This feature can be accessed from most online/mobile banking applications and the official ArCa website and application. The advantage of this feature is that it allows card-to-card transfers with relatively low fees, compared to Mastercard Moneysend or Visa Direct. Another advantage is that ArCa card-to-card allows transfers between payment system, which is not possible otherwise. For example, you can transfer from an ArCa or Visa card to a Mastercard or American Express card.

SMS, Email and USSD Services
Customers of ArCa member banks can opt in for USSD Services, which allows customers to check card balance, view latest transactions or block the card. SMS services have many functions. Firstly, it allows customers to activate their ArCa member bank cards at any ArCa member bank ATM, by getting a one-time password on their phone number and setting a PIN for their new card. Then, for every 3DS payment they make over the internet, they will get a 5-digit one-time password on their bank registered phone number and/or email to confirm their transactions. Lastly, consumers instantly get SMS on their latest transaction, although for most banks there is a small fee for each SMS.

ATM Services
Besides encashment and cash-in transactions, ArCa allows not only ArCa member bank customers, but also non-member bank customers to perform utility payments and card-to-card transfers with ATMs. ArCa also allows customers to view the balance of the card and the latest transactions on the card. This feature is being used less and less, as mobile/online banking applications gain popularity in Armenia.

ArCa Payment Cards
ArCa gives the opportunity for member banks to issue not only Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Diners Club cards, but also local national ArCa payment cards. Most ArCa cards are magstripe cards, with the exception of ArCa-MIR co-badged chip cards. The advantage of ArCa cards is the security in the online environment, since ArCa cards are local cards and 3D Secure is Mandatory in Armenia, online card fraud is at a minimum level.

ArCa Cabinet Site and Application
ArCa Cabinet Siteallows cardholders to keep track of their cards in one single application. Customers can register with their email and phone number, and use TOTP authentication for more security. Cardholders can attach all types of cards issued by ArCa member banks. The application allows for easy utility payments, card-to-card transfers, contact transfers and other payments. It also shows card usage sorted in categories and helps you monitor your spending. Moreover it allows consumers to search ArCa member bank ATMs on a map, and sort them by 24/7 availability, cash-in functionality, payment system, bank and city/region.