Otabek Mirsoatov, head of Microcredit Bank’s department on emission of plastic cards and organization of settlements, said in interview to UzA that the bank installed over 3,722 POS-terminals.

Number of issued banking payment cards rose by 25% and installed POS-terminals, by 180% compared to previous year. The bank said about 63% banking payment cards fell to share of business entities.

Microcredit Bank is planning to install 2,181 POS-terminals up to 2011, of which 72% will be installed at trade and service points in rural areas.

The bank said it is paying interests on balance of the banking payment cards. The interest rate set at the refinancing rate of the Central Bank of Uzbekistan, which is currently 14% APR. As of 1 April 2010, Microcredit Bank paid 418 million soums as interests to banking payment cards.

During three months of 2010, about 56 billion soums were directed at banking payment cards, which is four times up year-on-year.