Within the scope of their professional workshop, the “Electronic Payment Service Providers’ Association” (EFISZ), continued to hold professional forums and roundtable discussions also in 2021. This year, in the framework of four online workshops, the experts discussed the current events of the digital financial sector, the relevant technology trends and their experiences in the industry and in general, and they analysed the domestic, European, and global trends.
The document of the EFISZ fintech roundtable discussions will be available soon!
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The General Meeting adopted the 2017 Annual Report of EFISZ in the form of attached files:
The General Meeting adopted the 2018 Annual Report of EFISZ in the form of attached files:
The General Meeting adopted the 2019 Annual Report of EFISZ in the form of attached files:
The General Meeting adopted the 2020 Annual Report of EFISZ in the form of attached files:
The General Meeting adopted the 2021 Annual Report of EFISZ in the form of attached files:
The General Meeting adopted the 2022 Annual Report of EFISZ in the form of attached files:
The General Meeting adopted the 2023 Annual Report of EFISZ in the form of attached files:
Analyses of global, European and domestic digitalisation trends clearly show that the market of electronic and mobile payments is very likely to explode in the coming years. Users are becoming more and more aware consumers, and there is a growing demand for modern digital services among the domestic population as well. Hungary is still significantly behind in this respect, with cash still playing a dominant role in payment transactions. This trend appears to be even more pronounced in rural areas, where services that are already available to users in Hungarian cities are in many cases inexistent or unavailable.
An important element of the Digital Village Ecosystem is the open platform that allows enterprises to connect to the value chain. They can become active participants in customer service, offering the platform’s services to their own customers. Enterprises connected to the ecosystem can thus develop their own services portfolio, improving their own competitiveness in the field of digitalisation.
The introduction of modern, innovative and competitive domestic digitalisation solutions can significantly increase the resilience of the economy, thereby significantly strengthening the economic and population-retention capacity of Hungarian villages.
The pandemic situation caused by the new coronavirus also had a substantial effect on the “life” and operation of EFISZ (Electronic Payment Service Providers’ Association): the professional programme of the Association planned for 2020 needed to be updated, and the scheduled events, professional forums, working group meetings, round table discussions and professional workshops had to continue online. Thanks to the active contribution and support of the members, we made progress with the professional works related to EFISZ even in the exceptional situation!
In 2020, the Association planned several professional events focusing on the transformation of the domestic and international payment ecosystems, the reshaping European Digital Finance Strategy, the experiences relating to the Instant Payment System (“AFR”) implemented in Hungary, and its future service development opportunities as well as the presentation of further projects built on the AFR. We initiated a professional dialogue on consumer-friendly digital services and the current topics of consumer protection. Additional online events took place, including on such interesting topics as “Banking as a Service” or community transport – the introduction of Public Transport Mobile Ticket in urban and interurban transportation. We conducted panel discussions on grant possibilities, the changed situation of digital finances and the financial supports that can be provided to start-ups.
Last year, EFISZ conducted two country-wide representative surveys on the state of domestic electronic payment with the continued contribution of its members: we were interested in the knowledge, preferences and needs of the Hungarian public in connection with electronic payment in the pandemic situation caused by the coronavirus; later we also conducted a survey on the same questions at county seat level. The comparison of the 2020 surveys with those conducted in the previous years and with the evolution of the market trends clearly showed the effect of the consumer habits changing due to the pandemic already at the end of 2020.
After the domestic launch of our Association at the beginning of last year, we established our international network, the European Digital Finance Association (EDFA) non-profit-making organisation (http://europeandigitalfinance.eu/) , founded in Brussels with 9 European professional organisations involved in fintech and electronic payment, which has EFISZ as a founding member. To begin the work of the non-profit-making association currently consisting of the professional organisations of 13 countries, it took part in the development and later in the parliamentary debate of the Digital Finance Strategy of the European Union as an advisory partner of the European Union. The goal of the European Commission was to create a unified digital market for financial services by means of the Digital Finance Package accepted in September. The Digital Financial Strategy plays an important role in the European Union’s digitisation initiatives, which promotes the creation of new digital value chains. Active participation in preparing the EU’s Digitisation programmes may result in the significant improvement of local enterprises accessing development resources for 2021-2027.
The planned professional focal points of the Association in 2021 include the continuation of the professional consultation on the renewal of the European Finance Strategy (EDFA-DG FISMA), the transformation of the domestic payment ecosystem (government efforts, regulation, business environment), the potential services built on the AFR, the emergence of new value chains, the government’s digitisation efforts (community transportation, Smart City, the potential of the digitisation of public utility and public services, circular economy) and the promotion of economic competitiveness. We will also address the promotion of sustainability (environmental, economic, social), the development resources (domestic, EU), the domestic and international promotion of fintech cooperation (sharing “good practices”, identification of partnership opportunities), and last, but not least, we will continue our cooperation with the domestic and international professional partner organisations (EFDA) and our regional partnership with the Visegrád countries (V4).
Within the framework of its professional activity planned for this year, EFISZ wishes to continue the cooperation with universities (University of Debrecen) and the government-level dialogues, furthermore, it will conduct a new market research among the general public (“digitisation vs. COVID”) and also plans to organise its own professional conference in the virtual space.
The Electronic Payment Providers’ Association (EFISZ), with contribution from its members, conducted a new, country-wide representative survey on the state of domestic electronic payment. On this occasion, the Association surveyed the knowledge, preferences and needs of the Hungarian public in the county seats in relation to electronic payment in a changed situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
In the survey conducted from September to October 2020, EFISZ was primarily interested in the awareness and needs of the Hungarian population regarding electronic payment, as well as the factors the public preferred during the emergency situation caused by the pandemic.
Research on consumer behavior clearly determined that the domestic population is using modern infocommunication devices at a growing rate and more and more people are using electronic payment services on these devices. In comparison with the results of earlier research it is evident that cash remains to be the most used means of payment, however, the volume of various non-cash payment solutions has grown significantly compared to previous years.
Analyzing consumer behavior also revealed that services based on prepaid cards have yet to see an explosive growth, nevertheless, the popularity of mobile payment solutions is on the rise. Solutions based on QR-code in electronic payment services are gaining popularity among users, though users are beginning to factor in the price of such services and this is starting to influence their selection criteria, too.
The research has also revealed an increased level of awareness among the users, and that we are starting to pay more attention to teaching financial literacy.
“All in all we can say that in this pandemic situation users have become more and more open to modern, digital solutions and to applying the related electronic payment options. These services may facilitate to maintain the operation of the economy even during this pandemic situation. The openness of the users may also present an opportunity for domestic enterprises to bring to market modern, innovative and competitive solutions, further increasing the resilience of the economy” said Mihály Veres, President of EFISZ.
As part of the professional work related to the development of the Electronic Payment Strategy (EPS), the Electronic Payment Service Providers’ Association (EFISZ) conducted a national representative public opinion poll with contribution of its members on electronic payment in Hungary during the epidemiological situation.
The survey covered public knowledge, preferences and needs in connection with electronic payment during the extraordinary situation caused by the coronavirus.
The EFISZ conducted an opinion survey by phone, with a national representative sample, among Hungarian residents 18 years of age or older. In the survey conducted from May to June 2020, the EFISZ was primarily interested in the awareness and needs of the Hungarian population regarding electronic payment, and in factors favoured by the public during the epidemiological situation caused by the coronavirus.
The majority of households own a bank card, smart phone and laptop (as well). Approximately 80 per cent of survey respondents have a home internet subscription (according to the survey conducted by the EFISZ in June 2019, roughly 70 per cent of respondents had a home internet subscription). Sixty-six per cent of respondents use their mobile phone for internet browsing (compared to 52 per cent measured during last year’s survey). Eighteen per cent of respondents do not use the internet at all. The 72 per cent majority of internet users used the internet every day during the previous week. Respondents used the internet for an average period of 4 hours daily (compared to an average of 3 hours based on last year’s survey). Roughly two thirds of respondents use the internet daily for maintaining contact and reading news. Almost all respondents own a private mobile phone (compared to 89 per cent of respondents measured during the 2019 survey). Within this group, approximately 70 per cent own a smartphone and 26 per cent own a traditional device. Among those owning a mobile phone, 45 per cent have a mobile internet subscription, and roughly every fourth respondent’s phone is not suitable for internet use. Roughly one half of respondents use their mobile phone for visiting social networking sites. Roughly 30 per cent use applications at least once daily on their phones.
After cash the most popular methods of payment are contactless and swiped bank card payments (according to the 2019 survey of the EFISZ, the most popular form of payment among respondents was cash as well, followed by bank card payments). The majority of respondents are also aware of the option of transfers, online payment with a bank card and mobile payment. The least known electronic payment methods were the prepaid card and the virtual wallet in 2020 as well. Cash is the most popular form of payment among respondents aware of the given payment method; almost all of them use it on a day-to-day basis. The majority of respondents use cash, contactless and swiped bank card payment at least once a week. The majority of respondents use mobile payment, a virtual wallet and transfers on a monthly basis or less.
Approximately two thirds of respondents who do not use any of the listed electronic payment methods use cash out of habit.
Respondents mainly use a netbank and mobile bank for checking their balance or for transfers. Forty-five per cent and 55 per cent of respondents do not have netbank or mobile bank access, respectively. Netbank and mobile bank users access these platforms on average 5 and 7 times a month, respectively.
According to approximately 40 per cent of respondents, the recommendation of electronic services by banks and investment providers is effective. A high ratio of respondents could not provide an answer to this question. The majority of respondents are satisfied with information provided by the customer service of banks and financial service providers. Roughly 20 per cent of respondents do not request such assistance. The majority of respondents learned about electronic payment options, and are informed about new related developments through family and friends.
Satisfaction with improvement of the quality of electronic payment services is highest in relation to bank and telecommunication services, online purchases and utilities. In the opinion of respondents, improvement of the quality of electronic payment services is most important in health care, official administration, banking services, education and utilities.
The majority of respondents use the electronic payment services of their own banks. Every fourth respondent (also) uses the electronic systems of telecommunication providers and 15 per cent use those of utility providers. Every fourth respondent does not use an electronic payment service. The level of users’ satisfaction with specific electronic payment services is high and they are likely to recommend these to others.
The majority of respondents do not have a mobile payment application on their phones. Sixteen per cent of respondents have such applications and use them. The vast majority of respondents do not know any prepaid card financial services. Three quarters of survey participants have heard of the introduction of immediate transfers. Every tenth respondent has heard of PSD 2, the new Payment Services Directive of the EU.
Since emergence of the epidemiological situation, 35 per cent of respondents have been paying by electronic means whenever possible, mostly to avoid the use of cash. Every third respondent used electronic payment options with the same frequency.
As part of the professional work connected to the establishment of the Electronic Payment Strategy (EFS), the Electronic Payment Service Providers Association (EFISZ) conducted a country-wide representative survey with the contribution of its members about the electronic payment’s domestic situation. The survey covered the topics of people’s knowledge, preferences and needs in connection with electronic payment.
With a national representative sample and personal query, a questionnaire survey was conducted by EFISZ among Hungarian citizens 18 years of age and older. In the June 2019 research, EFISZ was primarily interested in the awareness and needs of the domestic population regarding electronic payment, and in the factors that are preferred by the population during „e-payment”.
The survey’s results have partly confirmed the population’s previous preferences, but in some areas, the findings differed from earlier research data. The research clearly determined that the majority of households are in possession of a bank card, smart phone and laptop. Two-thirds of the respondents have internet subscription at home, the internet is most often used for communication, reading news, and the average number of hours spent online is 3 hours a day. Most people know and use cash, swipe card and contactless payments. The least known and used means of payment are the virtual wallet and the prepaid card.
The reasons for avoiding electronic payment methods, according to 46 percent of the respondents, are that they pay with cash out of habit, 30 percent find it difficult to use, and 27 percent consider it unsecure. Credit card and debit card payment with swiping or with contactless method is used by the majority or by everyone in the case of 54-55 percent.
48 percent of the respondents consider the recommendation of electronic services effective, according to 58 percent, sufficient information is provided by the bank or by the financial provider’s employees. Every tenth respondent would like to participate in a free workshop on electronic payment systems to enhance their knowledge.
Nearly 30 percent of the respondents use their own bank’s electronic payment service, every tenth respondent (also) uses the system of their telecommunication service provider. Other providers are selected by less than 10 percent. Nearly every second surveyed person does not use electronic payment services at all.