DUSHANBE, June 13, Asia-Plus - Open joint-stock company OryonBonk, Tajikistan’s largest commercial bank, has announced free issuing of VISA Electron chip payment cards, Asia-Plus has learned at the OryonBonk banking card services department.

The source at the OryonBonk banking card services department said that the action started on June 11 and will last till July 1. 

 “Out of action, the VISA Electron chip payment cards are realized at the rate of $6 per one card,” said the source, “The VISA Electron chip payment card given free of charge are valid during one year.”

According to him, the bank has issued VISA Electron, Classic and Gold type cards since late April.  These cards cost from $6 to $30, depending on the type. 

The chip payment cards are embedded with a special chip that allows our customers making payments both in online and offline regimes, the source said, noting that the chip payment card enables the bank and its cardholders to protect themselves more effectively against credit card fraud.   

The OryonBonk source noted that among their customers there are more than 400 holders of the chip payment cards, including the following companies: the cellular operator Tacom; Tajik natural-gas distributor Tojikgaz, Red Crescent Society (RCS); Tajik Railways, etc.  

“Equipment for operating the chip payment cards has been installed at all POS-terminals of the bank,” said the source, “In the near future, we will also install the equipment at the Wincor Nixdorf automated teller machines as well.”  

 In all, there are more than 3,000 holders of plastic cards among the OryonBonk customers. 

According to Tajik central bank, four banks in Tajikistan currently issue plastic cards: OryonBonk; TojikSodirotBonk (TSB); AgroInvestBonk and TajPromBank.