Roadmap to Profit's in China's Credit Card Issuing Market

Abstract

NEW RESEARCH REPORT BY MERCATOR ADVISORY GROUP

China' s credit card market continues to grow rapidly during the first half of 2007. By the end of this year, the number of credit cards in circulation in China is anticipated to reach 100 million. However, profitability has become a major concern for card issuers, processors, vendors, investors, as well as other stake-holders. Consumer behavior, regulations, competition, interest rates, interchange fee rates, among other factors, make profitability challenging for many issuers in China, at least in the near future. As the prime market becomes saturated in certain segments, issuers may begin to find it difficult to sustain recent high-speed growth. Issuers should revise their strategies in order to maintain a balance between sustainable growth and healthy profits. Innovation, increased efficiency and product differentiation among other factors are important for long-term growth and profitability in China' s credit card market.

Terry Xie, Director of Mercator Advisory Group' s International Advisory Service and principal analyst on this report comments, "Although some challenges still exist in China' s credit card industry today, it is quite hopeful that most large credit issuers in China could realize profits within 2 to 3 years by adjusting some of their market strategies. The market as a whole continues to grow and conditions continue to improve making profitability in the credit card business highly possible."

The most recent report from Mercator' s International Advisory Service provides both qualitative and quantitative analyses on the profitability of China' s credit card issuing market. This report also provides key insights on how to realize long-term profitability in the market, based on the current state of and trends in China' s payment card industry, regulatory issues, Chinese consumers' income and behavior, and competing issuers' strategies.

The report contains 30 pages long and 7 exhibits

Table of Contents

TABLE OF FIGURES

Introduction

I. China's Card Market Mid-Year Update

II. Profitability: A Dream within Reach?

• a. Revenue Opportunities in China
  • i. Little Revolving Balances
  • ii. Relatively Low Interchange Fees
  • iii. Intense Competition for Cardholders
• b. Costs Factors
  • i. Operational Costs
  • ii. Marketing/Sales Costs
  • iii. Cost of Funds
  • iv. Cost from Risks
  • c. Signs of Profitability

III. Roadmap to Profitability

• a. Waking Up Sleeping Cards
• b. Segmenting the Market
• c. Risk Management
• d. Diversifying Revenue Sources
• e. Cutting Costs
• f. Innovation! Innovation! Innovation!

IV. Conclusion

TABLE OF FIGURES

• Figure 1: Growth in Outstanding Balances on Credit Cards, 2002-Mid 2007
• Figure 2: Top Credit Card Issuers in China by Number of Cards, Mid 2007
• Figure 3: Growth in Card Acceptance in China, 2003-Mid 2007
• Figure 4: Interchange Fee Rates in China
• Figure 5: Average Annual Fees in China, the Case of CMB
• Figure 6: Comparison of Operations between U.S. and China Credit Card Issuers
• Figure 7: Cost of Funds: Interest Rates in China, 1998-2007