Data on payment cards turnover and number of transactions, both domestically and abroad is published monthly in accordance with a predetermined schedule and is posted at 09:00 hrs. on the publication date.
The data is available at a monthly frequency from January 1998. From January 2013 onward the turnover of credit cards is compiled for the calendar month but before that the data was based on due for payment for the credit card holders.
The latest data is preliminary.
Inquiries can be sent to support@sedlabanki.is
Time series for payment intermediation
Payment intermediation
Amounts are in millions (M.kr.)
Data for payment intermediation are collected with the aim of monitoring the cheques and payment cards turnover and number of transactions and publishing aggregate data from them. In addition, the Central Bank uses the data in its operations.
Foundation in law
The foundation in law for data collection is in Article 32 of the Act of the Central Bank of Iceland, no. 92/2019. In accordance with Article 41 of the Act, the Central bank is allowed to exchange information with public entities concerning matters falling under the scope of this Act if the exchange of information is consistent with the legally mandated role of the Central Bank or the recipient.
Payment intermediation
BEÐIÐ EFTIR ENSKRI ÞÝÐINGU
Fyrirtæki í greiðslumiðlun auðvelda greiðslur frá korthöfum til söluaðila með greiðslumiðlunartækni, þ.m.t. kort og posar. Gögn um greiðslumiðlun endurspegla veltu og færslufjölda innlendra korta innanlands, auk veltu og færslufjölda erlendra korta innanlands.
Greiðslumiðlunarmarkaði má í grófum dráttum skipta í tvennt:
- Kortaútgefendur: Gefa út kort til einstaklinga og fyrirtækja til að framkvæma greiðslur fyrir vörur og þjónustu. Auk þess er að hægt að taka út reiðufé með kortafærslum. Athugið að hér er um að ræða innlendar fjármálastofnanir en ekki alþjóðleg kortakerfi á borð við Mastercard eða VISA.
- Færsluhirðar: Útvega söluaðilum posa og annars háttar tæknilausnir til að taka á móti og vinna úr greiðslum frá korthöfum.
Auk þess má nefna að notkun á annars háttar greiðslumiðlunartækni hefur færst í aukana, t.a.m. er hægt að greiða fyrir vörur og þjónustu með beinum millifærslum. Eins má nefna reikning-í-reikning greiðslur og kortalausa færsluhirðingu á borð við PayPal. Notkun reiðufés tíðkast enn. Gagnasöfnun Seðlabankans leitast við að ná utan um umfang ólíkra greiðsluleiða.
Revision of data
The most recent figures are always preliminary and subject to revision.
Payment intermediation
Payment intermediation companies facilitate payments from cardholders to merchants using payment intermediation technology, including cards and POS (point of sale) devices. Data on payment intermediation reflect the turnover and number of transactions of domestic cards within Iceland, as well as the turnover and number of transactions of foreign cards in Iceland.
Card issuers
Issue cards to individuals and businesses to make payments for goods and services. In addition, it is possible to withdraw cash via card transactions. Please note that these are domestic financial institutions and not international card systems such as Mastercard or VISA.
Merchant acquirers
Provide sellers with point of sale (POS) devices and other technological solutions to receive and process payments from cardholders.
Debit card
An electronic card that transfers money directly from the cardholder's bank account.
Credit card
An electronic card where payments accrue with acquiring services to be collected monthly from the cardholder.
Active credit cards
Cards that have been used in the relevant month.
Issued payment cards
All issued, valid cards, regardless of whether they have been used.
Resident / Non-resident
A resident is any individual and legal entity permanently residing in Iceland, irrespective of nationality. Students and embassy employees are exempt from the residency requirement. Therefore, Icelandic students and their families who reside abroad are considered residents, and foreign embassy employees are considered non-residents. Non-residents shall mean all parties except residents.
| Title | Frequency | Newest | Period | Next | Category | Gagnabanki |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Government credit funds | Monthly | October 28 | September 2025 | November 27 | Monetary and financial statistics | |
| Other financial corporations | Monthly | October 28 | September 2025 | November 27 | Monetary and financial statistics | |
| Mutual funds, investment funds and institutional investment funds | Monthly | October 27 | September 2025 | November 27 | Monetary and financial statistics | |
| Monetary statistics | Monthly | October 24 | September 2025 | November 25 | Monetary and financial statistics | |
| Securities offerings | Monthly | October 17 | September 2025 | November 17 | Markets | |
| Payment intermediation | Monthly | October 17 | September 2025 | November 18 | Markets | |
| Insurance companies | Monthly | October 17 | August 2025 | November 18 | Monetary and financial statistics | |
| International reserves | Monthly | October 15 | September 2025 | November 17 | Balance of payments | |
| Interbank Market for Foreign Exchange | Monthly | October 8 | September 2025 | November 7 | Markets | |
| Interbank Market for Icelandic Kronur | Monthly | October 8 | September 2025 | November 7 | Markets | |
| Real exchange rate | Monthly | October 8 | September 2025 | November 7 | Markets | |
| Balance sheet of the Central Bank | Monthly | October 7 | September 2025 | November 7 | Monetary and financial statistics | |
| Pension funds | Monthly | October 6 | August 2025 | November 4 | Monetary and financial statistics | |
| Portfolio investment | Monthly | September 30 | August 2025 | October 29 | Balance of payments | |
| Market securities | Monthly | September 30 | August 2025 | October 31 | Markets | |
| Direct investment | Annual | September 19 | 2024 | March 20 | Balance of payments | |
| Financial accounts of financial corporations | Quarterly | September 8 | Q2/2025 | December 8 | Monetary and financial statistics | |
| Balance of payments | Quarterly | September 4 | Q2 2025 | December 4 | Balance of payments | |
| International investment position | Quarterly | September 4 | Q2 2025 | December 4 | Balance of payments | |
| External debt | Quarterly | September 4 | Q2 2025 | December 4 | Balance of payments |