Press Releases
INTERAC® Celebrates 25 Years of Connecting Canadians to their Money
From in-store to online; from magnetic stripe to chip; from contact to contactless, INTERAC continues to evolveNovember 9, 2009 (Toronto, ON) – INTERAC marks 25 years of providing Canadians secure access to their money from coast to coast to coast. On November 9, 1984, a single national PIN-based network was born out of a vision to connect Canadians to their money anywhere, anytime. INTERAC's growth and evolution took off from that point and today, both consumer awareness and usage levels are almost unmatched worldwide.
"INTERAC is a world-class debit system and a made-in-Canada success story," said Mark O'Connell, President and CEO, Interac Association/Acxsys Corporation. "With its 24/7 convenience, reliability and security, Canadians have embraced INTERAC to become some of the highest users of debit per capita globally. It has truly changed the way we live our daily lives and we can all share in and be proud of its success."
INTERAC has become Canada's preferred method of payment, surpassing cash and credit, and today it not only connects Canadians to their money at the ABM and at the store, but also online through Web based services: INTERAC Online, for online purchases; and INTERAC e-Transfer, for person-to-person money transfers.
New features and products continue to be developed and implemented to meet the needs of Canadians and the marketplace, including the movement to chip on debit in Canada, which INTERAC is driving. A contactless INTERAC debit payment option is also on the way that will provide customers a fast and convenient payment alternative to cash for everyday small purchases.
"We operate true to our Canadian roots, and we leverage what makes us different than the competition," said O'Connell. "We will continue to offer Canadians the best payment products available and the value-add of being a low-cost payment option. That is what has made us successful and will drive our success over the next 25 years and beyond."
INTERAC milestones... for 25 years proudly Canadian
| 1984 | Five financial institutions envision one national PIN-based network to connect Canadians to their money anywhere, anytime. |
| 1986 | Financial institutions link their ABM networks to give cardholders broader access to cash withdrawals at ABMs across Canada. |
| 1990 | INTERAC Direct Payment launches in Ottawa/Hull. |
| 1994 | INTERAC Direct Payment launches nationally. |
| 1996 | First non-financial institution offers cash withdrawals at ABMs. |
| 1997 | One billion INTERAC Direct Payment transactions processed. |
| 1998 | Canada marks the highest number of point-of-sale transactions compared to other countries around the world, with 44.7 transactions per inhabitant. |
| 2000 | INTERAC Direct Payment surpasses cash as Canadians' preferred method of payment. |
| 2004 | INTERAC e-Transfer service launches. |
| 2005 | INTERAC Online launches. |
| 2007 | Canada's first INTERAC chip debit card transaction conducted. |
| 2008 | Chip technology begins to roll out across Canada. |
| 2008 | Nearly 4 billion INTERAC Direct Payment transactions processed, worth $168 billion. |
| 2009 | INTERAC partners with global leader INSIDE Contactless to bring contactless debit to Canada. |
INTERAC... Canada's leading payment network
- 35 million cards in circulation; 3.7 billion INTERAC Direct Payment transactions (Source: Interac Association, 2008).
- 630,534 store terminals; 57,864 ABMs (Source: Interac Association, 2008).
- Canada has 1,748 ABMs per one million inhabitants - the highest number of ABMs compared to any other country in the world (Source: Bank of International Settlements, 2007).
- Canada is among the highest users of debit compared to other countries around the world with 104 transactions per inhabitant, second to Sweden with 125 transactions per inhabitant (Source: Bank of International Settlements, 2007).
- INTERAC Direct Payment is the preferred method of payment in Canada, with 45 per cent of Canadians choosing INTERAC Direct Payment, compared to 22 per cent who choose cash and 31 per cent who choose credit (Source: Strategic Counsel, 2008).
- Almost 60 per cent of all card payment transactions in Canada are debit (Source: The Nilson Report).
About Interac Association
A recognized world leader in debit card services, Interac Association is responsible for the development and operations of the INTERAC network, a national payment network that allows Canadians to access their money through Automated Banking Machines and point-of-sale terminals across Canada.
Interac Association was founded in 1984 and is comprised of a diverse membership that includes banks, trust companies, credit unions, caisses populaires, merchants, and technology and payment related companies.
Other INTERAC-branded and related services include: INTERAC Online, for secure online payments directly from a bank account, INTERAC e-Transfer, for the transfer of money from a bank account to anyone with an email address, and Cross Border Debit, for point-of-sale access at more than 1.5 million U.S. retailers.
