Executive SummaryAustralia posses one of the highest levels of per capita credit card debt in the world. The Reserve Bank of Australia reported during June 2003 that Australians were utilising credit cards for 36% of their purchases. The local credit card industry is dominated by the big four banks who control 80% of market share and the balance market share is controlled by the low-fee players and regional banks..
The interchange reforms introduced by RBA on August 2002 required the adoption of a new cost based approach to the calculation of domestic interchange fees in credit card schemes and allowed non banking financial institutions to become eligible members of credit card schemes. The interchange fee reforms are expected to reduce the big four banks profits by AUD 25 million each per annum from the fiscal year 2004.
A significant influence on the structure of the Australian financial system in the past decade was the growth in the securitisation market.
Credit cards Français : Cartes de crédit Italian...
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English: First 4 digits of a credit cardThe securitization of credit card debt has in recent years constituted a big and maturing segment of the overall securitization market, reflecting the dramatic increase in the use and acceptability of credit cards globally and due to securitisation being able to increase the banks liquidity and reduce its regulatory capital through a clean sale of assets. However the adoption of International Financial Reporting standards will require banks to consolidate the activities of special purpose vehicles diluting most benefits of securitisationTo succeed in the credit card industry Monash Retail Bank (MRB) will require a cost advantage or economy of scale. Miniature niche players like MRB who entered the market with high expectations were forced to tighten belts seek synergies and forced out of the market as a result of industry consolidation. Therefore Monash Retail Bank should continue with its current debit card...