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Banking Facts And Figures

 

Usage of payments systems

The following analysis is based on data from the Reserve Bank of Australia and covers the following payments systems:  ATMs, EFTPOS, Cheque, Direct Entry and Credit cards.

Summary of usage of payments systems - annual

In 2009, a total of 6.7 billion transactions were conducted using ATMs, EFTPOS, Cheque, Direct Entry and Credit cards with a value of $13.9 trillion.  That’s, on average, 129 million transactions every week with a value of $267 billion. 

Direct entry, which consists of credit transfer payments and debit transfer payments, is the largest of the payment systems with 2.3 billion transactions in 2009 at a value of $11.9 trillion.

 

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Avg growth         5 years

ATM withdrawals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   . Number (millions)

760.6

791.9

814.7

840.2

865.8

843.2

2.1%

   . Value ($ billions)

$128.7

$134.0

$139.3

$144.9

$151.5

$151.5

3.3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EFTPOS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   . Number (millions)

1,096.5

1,222.7

1,352.1

1,519.9

1,756.3

1,757.3

10.0%

   . Value ($ billions)

$74.7

$83.6

$93.1

$104.6

$121.5

$122.5

10.5%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheques

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   . Number (millions)

527.6

483.7

449.9

418.1

371.0

333.0

- 8.8%

   . Value ($ billions)

$1,767.7

$1,664.6

$1,693.5

$1,839.5

$1,617.2

$1,500.2

- 3.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Direct Entry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   . Number (millions)

1,558.2

1,716.5

1,828.9

1,990.0

2,159.8

2,265.6

7.8%

   . Value ($ billions)

$7,373.2

$8,423.1

$9,586.3

$11,288.1

$12,059.1

$11,881.3

10.2%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credit cards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   . Number (millions)

1,164.7

1,227.4

1,311.2

1,389.1

1,454.0

1,510.8

5.3%

   . Value ($ billions)

$157.8

$169.6

$186.4

$204.8

$220.2

$225.8

7.5%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total above

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   . Number (millions)

5,107.6

5,442.2

5,756.8

6,157.3

6,606.8

6,709.9

5.6%

   . Value ($ billions)

9,502.0

10,474.9

11,698.6

13,581.9

14,169.5

13,881.3

8.1%

Summary of usage of payments systems per day

In 2009 there were, on average, over 18 million transactions every day: 

  • 2.3 million ATM withdrawals at a value of $415 million
  • 4.8 million EFTPOS transactions at a value of $336 million
  • 0.9 million cheques issued at a value of $4.1 billion
  • 6.2 million direct entry transactions at a value of $32.6 billion
  • 4.1 million credit card transactions at a value of $619 million

 

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

ATM withdrawals

 

 

 

 

 

 

   . Number (millions)

2.1

2.2

2.2

2.3

2.4

2.3

   . Value ($ millions)

$352.6

$367.1

$381.5

$396.9

$415.2

$415.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EFTPOS

 

 

 

 

 

 

   . Number (millions)

3.0

3.3

3.7

4.2

4.8

4.8

   . Value ($ millions)

$204.6

$228.9

$255.1

$286.7

$333.0

$335.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheques

 

 

 

 

 

 

   . Number (millions)

1.4

1.3

1.2

1.1

1.0

0.9

   . Value ($ billions)

$4.8

$4.6

$4.6

$5.0

$4.4

$4.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Direct Entry

 

 

 

 

 

 

   . Number (millions)

4.3

4.7

5.0

5.5

5.9

6.2

   . Value ($ billions)

$20.2

$23.1

$26.3

$30.9

$33.0

$32.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credit cards

 

 

 

 

 

 

   . Number (millions)

3.2

3.4

3.6

3.8

4.0

4.1

   . Value ($ millions)

$432.3

$464.6

$510.7

$561.1

$603.2

$618.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total above

 

 

 

 

 

 

   . Number (millions)

14.0

14.9

15.8

16.9

18.1

18.4

   . Value ($ billions)

$26.0

$28.7

$32.1

$37.2

$38.8

$38.0

Credit cards

In 2009, there were 1.51 billion credit card transactions with a total value of $225.8 billion.  Over the past year, the number of transactions grew by 3.9% while the value of transactions grew by 2.5% (the lowest growth rate on record - since 1989). 

In 2009, there were 29.9 million cash advances with a total value of $11.4 billion.   The number of cash advances is now at the lowest level since mid-1998.  

Cash advances made up 2.0% of the number all credit card transactions and 98.0% of the value of credit card transactions in 2009. 

At the end of 2009, there were 14.4 million credit card accounts, increasing by only 1.5% over the past year.

 

 

Cash advances

Purchases

Total

 

Accounts

Number

Value

Number

Value

Number

Value

 

million

million

$bn

billion

$bn

billion

$bn

1999

8.8

33.6

$8.2

0.53

$53.1

0.56

$61.3

2000

9.5

35.9

$9.3

0.65

$68.5

0.69

$77.8

2001

9.7

37.6

$10.2

0.76

$83.1

0.80

$93.3

2002

10.4

35.7

$10.3

0.95

$116.7

0.98

$126.9

2003

10.9

35.3

$10.4

1.03

$130.4

1.07

$140.8

2004

11.6

36.3

$11.0

1.13

$146.8

1.16

$157.8

2005

12.5

37.4

$11.5

1.19

$158.1

1.23

$169.6

2006

13.2

38.2

$12.6

1.27

$173.9

1.31

$186.4

2007

13.9

36.7

$12.5

1.35

$192.2

1.39

$204.8

2008

14.2

34.5

$12.9

1.42

$207.3

1.45

$220.2

2009

14.4

29.9

$11.4

1.48

$214.3

1.51

$225.8

Source: RBA

The following table shows the percentage changes over the previous year.  Growth rates across a range of credit card statistics have fallen significantly over the past two years (2008 and 2009).

 

 

Cash advances

Purchases

Total

%change

Accounts

Number

Value

Number

Value

Number

Value

2000

7.0%

6.6%

13.8%

23.7%

28.8%

22.7%

26.8%

2001

2.5%

4.7%

9.6%

16.8%

21.4%

16.2%

20.0%

2002

7.6%

- 4.8%

0.6%

24.8%

40.4%

23.4%

36.0%

2003

4.8%

- 1.3%

0.9%

8.8%

11.8%

8.4%

10.9%

2004

5.7%

3.0%

6.1%

9.4%

12.6%

9.2%

12.1%

2005

7.9%

2.9%

4.9%

5.5%

7.7%

5.4%

7.5%

2006

6.0%

2.3%

8.9%

7.0%

10.0%

6.8%

9.9%

2007

5.3%

- 4.1%

- 0.1%

6.2%

10.6%

5.9%

9.9%

2008

2.2%

- 6.0%

3.0%

5.0%

7.8%

4.7%

7.5%

2009

1.5%

- 13.3%

- 11.4%

4.3%

3.4%

3.9%

2.5%

Growth rates presented in the charts below show annual changes. That is, each of the ‘grey bars’ shows the growth rate over the past 12 months.

Credit cards – per card statistics

This section presents data on a ‘per card’ basis.   As such, it adjusts for changes in the number of credit card accounts over time.  That is, if we look at the statistics presented above, we may see a 10% rise in the use of credit cards, but, this may be because the number of accounts has increased by 10%, not because people are using their cards 10% more.  This, of course, is a simple explanation but it will assist readers in understanding why it is important to also focus on ‘per card’ statistics when analysing credit card statistics.

In 2009, credit card customers made $15,644 of transactions on average using their credit cards, an increase of 1.1% or $164 more than the previous year.  This increase is less than the CPI increase of 2.1% for 2009.

Cash advances fell by a large 12.7% in 2009.  That is, customers made a total of $793 per card of cash advances in 2009 compared with $908 in 2008.  In 2001, cash advances per card were $1,051 or a third (33%) more than 2009.  

Of the $15,644 of transactions per credit card in 2009, $793 or 5% were cash advances while $14,851 or 95% were purchases.  In 2000, 12% of the value of transactions on a credit card were cash advances.

 Per CARD   

Cash advances

Purchases

Total

 

value

%change

value

%change

value

%change

1999

$924

 

$6,008

 

$6,933

 

2000

$983

6.4%

$7,234

20.4%

$8,217

18.5%

2001

$1,051

6.9%

$8,566

18.4%

$9,617

17.0%

2002

$983

- 6.5%

$11,179

30.5%

$12,162

26.5%

2003

$946

- 3.7%

$11,924

6.7%

$12,870

5.8%

2004

$950

0.4%

$12,696

6.5%

$13,645

6.0%

2005

$924

- 2.7%

$12,673

- 0.2%

$13,597

- 0.4%

2006

$950

2.8%

$13,152

3.8%

$14,101

3.7%

2007

$902

- 5.1%

$13,815

5.0%

$14,717

4.4%

2008

$908

0.8%

$14,572

5.5%

$15,480

5.2%

2009

$793

- 12.7%

$14,851

1.9%

$15,644

1.1%

On average over 2009, customers made 104.7 transactions using their credit card with an average value of $149 per transaction.  The average value of a transaction fell by $2 or 1.3% over the past year. 

In 2009, there were 2.1 cash advance transactions per credit card account with an average value of $383 for each cash advance transaction and 102.6 purchases with an average value of $145 for each.

  Per CARD

Cash advances

Purchases

Total

 

 

Number

Avg value

Number

Avg value

Number

Avg value

1999

3.8

$243

59.4

$101

63.2

$110

2000

3.8

$259

68.7

$105

72.5

$113

2001

3.9

$272

78.2

$109

82.1

$117

2002

3.4

$287

90.8

$123

94.2

$129

2003

3.2

$294

94.3

$126

97.5

$132

2004

3.1

$303

97.6

$130

100.7

$135

2005

3.0

$308

95.4

$133

98.4

$138

2006

2.9

$328

96.3

$137

99.2

$142

2007

2.6

$342

97.2

$142

99.8

$147

2008

2.4

$375

99.8

$146

102.2

$151

2009

2.1

$383

102.6

$145

104.7

$149

The number of cash advances per card has been falling for the past eight years.

Per CARD

Cash advances

Purchases

Total

%change

Number

Value

Number

Value

Number

Value

2000

- 0.4%

6.7%

15.6%

4.1%

14.7%

3.4%

2001

2.1%

4.7%

13.9%

3.9%

13.3%

3.3%

2002

- 11.5%

5.7%

16.1%

12.4%

14.8%

10.2%

2003

- 5.9%

2.3%

3.8%

2.7%

3.5%

2.3%

2004

- 2.6%

3.1%

3.5%

2.9%

3.3%

2.6%

2005

- 4.6%

2.0%

- 2.2%

2.1%

- 2.3%

2.0%

2006

- 3.5%

6.5%

0.9%

2.8%

0.8%

2.9%

2007

- 8.8%

4.1%

0.9%

4.1%

0.6%

3.7%

2008

- 8.0%

9.6%

2.7%

2.7%

2.4%

2.7%

2009

- 14.5%

2.1%

2.8%

- 0.9%

2.4%

- 1.3%

ATM withdrawals

Over 2009, there were 843.2 million ATM withdrawals with a total value of $151.5 billion. 

In 2009, the number of ATM withdrawals fell by 2.6% while the total value did not change.  This is the first time that the number of ATM withdrawals has fallen (the data series commenced in 1994).

The fall in ATM usage was driven by a fall in the use of foreign ATMs of 16% to 342 million withdrawals.   That is, there were 65 million fewer transactions (16%) at foreign ATMs in 2009 when compared with 2008.  This is the first fall in the number of ATM withdrawals conducted at foreign ATMs over the seven years of data available.  

Note that foreign ATMs are ATMs which are owned by another financial institution not the customers financial institution. 

ATM withdrawals at own ATM (i.e. where the ATM is owned by the customers own financial institution) increased relatively strongly by 9.3%.

 

At own ATM

Foreign ATM

Total

 Transactions

Number

Value

Number

Value

Number

Value

 

million

$billion

million

$billion

million

$billion

1999

 

 

 

 

447.2

$76.5

2000

 

 

 

 

485.0

$84.1

2001

 

 

 

 

521.8

$91.6

2002

372.7

$72.5

294.3

$40.7

667.0

$113.2

2003

393.1

$76.9

322.5

$44.0

715.6

$120.8

2004

408.9

$80.3

351.6

$48.4

760.6

$128.7

2005

417.1

$81.3

374.8

$52.7

791.9

$134.0

2006

429.1

$83.9

385.6

$55.3

814.7

$139.3

2007

438.3

$86.3

401.9

$58.6

840.2

$144.9

2008

458.5

$91.0

407.3

$60.5

865.8

$151.5

2009

501.2

$98.7

342.0

$52.8

843.2

$151.5

Source: RBA


 

At own ATM

Foreign ATM

Total

 %change

Number

Value

Number

Value

Number

Value

2000

 

 

 

 

8.5%

9.9%

2001

 

 

 

 

7.6%

8.9%

2002

 

 

 

 

27.8%

23.6%

2003

5.5%

6.0%

9.6%

8.0%

7.3%

6.7%

2004

4.0%

4.4%

9.0%

10.2%

6.3%

6.5%

2005

2.0%

1.3%

6.6%

8.8%

4.1%

4.1%

2006

2.9%

3.3%

2.9%

5.0%

2.9%

3.9%

2007

2.2%

2.8%

4.2%

5.9%

3.1%

4.0%

2008

4.6%

5.5%

1.3%

3.3%

3.0%

4.6%

2009

9.3%

8.4%

- 16.0%

- 12.7%

- 2.6%

0.0%

In 2009, customers conducted 59.4% of their ATM withdrawals at an ATM of their own institution making up 65.1% of the total amount withdrawn at ATMs.  That is, almost two-thirds of money withdrawn at an ATM is at the customers own financial institution.

 Distribution

At own ATM

Foreign ATM

 

Number

Value

Number

Value

2002

55.9%

64.0%

44.1%

36.0%

2003

54.9%

63.6%

45.1%

36.4%

2004

53.8%

62.4%

46.2%

37.6%

2005

52.7%

60.7%

47.3%

39.3%

2006

52.7%

60.3%

47.3%

39.7%

2007

52.2%

59.6%

47.8%

40.4%

2008

53.0%

60.1%

47.0%

39.9%

2009

59.4%

65.1%

40.6%

34.9%

In 2009, the average value of an ATM withdrawal was $180.  For withdrawals made at an ATM owned by the customers’ financial institution, the average withdrawal was $197 a fall of $2 over the previous year.  For withdrawals from a foreign ATM, the average value increased from $149 to $154 over the past year.

 

Average value of withdrawal