YEREVAN, November 30. /ARKA/. ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK put into circulation 112 thousand American Express Gold cards in a year from the moment of their introduction, said General Executive Director of the Bank Stepan Gishyan in international press-center “Novosti”.

He said that 70% of transactions by American Express Gold were the payments made in Armenia and abroad, whereas the same indicator was only about 10% in case of other cards operating in the country.

“45% of all operations made by cardholders of American Express Gold are implemented in Armenia which shows the willingness of our cardholders to make shopping in trade and service centres of the country”, he said.

Gishyan said that 26% of implemented operations of the cardholders of the Bank are implemented through American Express Gold cards.

“Due to these indicators we received the approval of the company American Express for launching American Express Blue only in 10 months after launching American Express Gold”, he said.

American Express Blue is a credit card with financial flexibility, high quality service of clients in accordance with international standards and a variety of attractive prizes and privileges for the clients. The card has a unique program Cashback which allows the cardholders to get up to 1% Cashback (refund to the cardholder a certain percentage of amount from each non-cash payment) for all shopping made in Armenia.

Gishyan said that the Bank will double bonus scores of Membership Rewards for shopping made by American Express Gold in Armenia in December 2011.

“The goal of this action is to encourage shopping in Armenia by American Express Gold card.. Getting double bonus scores Membership Rewards the cardholders will get a unique opportunity to have more bonus awards”, said Gishyan.

He informed that today cardholders of American Express Gold have already accumulated over 8 million bonus scores which can be exchanged for 100 notebooks, 100 tickets Yerevan-Prague, 57 white pianos “Muller” or 700 bottlers of expensive French cognac.

CJSC “ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank” (former Bank of Agrarian Mutual Aid of Armenia (ACBA) was established in 1996 in the frames of the program of European Union TACIS. The main shareholders of the Bank are French Credit Agricole S.A with the share of 15.56%, JSC “SACAM International” with the share of 12.44% and Unions of Agrarian Mutual Aid of 10 regions of Armenia, including Armavir region – 14. and Ararat region – 12.28%.

According to the data of ARKA, as of September 30, 2011, assets of the Bank were 206.6 billion drams, liabilities – 162.8 billion drams, total capital – 43.8 billion drams, charter capital – 31.2 billion drams, total credit investments of the Bank – about 135.3 billion drams, liabilities to the clients – 60.8 billion drams. Net income of the Bank in January-September 2011 was over 4.6 billion drams. ($1- 382.74 drams). –0--