YEREVAN, February 28. /ARKA/. Areximbank – Gazprombank Group and Visa have launched Visa payWave contactless payments in Armenia. The first contactless transaction was effected in Moskvishka supermarket Thursday, through the only terminal of the bank accepting Visa payWave cards today, according to the report.

This service is introduced for the first time in Armenia, deputy general director of the bank Ruben Khachatryan said. In 2002 the bank became a full member of Visa and started servicing cards for the first time in Armenia. Areximbank was also the first to introduce e-commerce services, Khachatryan said adding the bank has been always using modern technologies to improve quality of its services.

The bank is planning to issue Visa payWave contactless cards in the next two months to enable its clients paying for goods and services quickly and easily. Right now only tourists and guests already possessing Visa payWave cards from foreign banks can take the advantage of the service, he said.

The contactless technology is available in over 50 countries, including Russia, Kazkastan, Ukraine and Belarus, Visa regional manager for Caucasus Irina Kamkhadze said. Joint efforts of Areximbank and Visa have made the service is available in Armenia as well, she said. Quality, speed, convenience and reliability are the advantages of contactless transactions, Kamkhadze said.

Areximbank - Gazprombank Group was founded in 1998 to handle financial flows between Russia and Armenia. It is now owned by Russian Gazprombank. Bank has been successfully certified for compliance with international requirements of ISO 9001: 2008. It runs 16 branches, 7 of which are located in Yerevan and 9 in the regions. Visa Inc.is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Foster City, California, United States. It facilitates electronic funds transfers throughout the world, most commonly through Visa-branded credit cards and debit cards.–0--