#payments – SafeCharge, a Nuvei company, announces it can now offer Cartes Bancaires (CB), France’s national interbank network, and the country’s most widely used payment scheme. With one integration, SafeCharge enables access to over 300 alternative payment methods throughout the world. Adding Cartes Bancaires removes yet another payment barrier, enhancing local and cross-border transactions by providing a secure and familiar form of payment.

SafeCharge is making it easier for businesses to make the world their local marketplace by expanding online operations into France, one of the largest eCommerce markets in the world, and the second-largest economy in the European Union. Cartes Bancaires has over 70 million cards in circulation and 60% of French payments are made using the card brand. In addition to minimizing fees for domestic processing, SafeCharge merchants can now offer this local payment alternative to maximize authorization acceptance rates, improve customer satisfaction, and generate more potential revenue.

Retail eCommerce sales in France continue to rise in the double digits, and are expected to reach nearly 80 billion euros by 2023¹, with fashion and apparel being a leading market segment. The French gaming industry has also experienced impressive growth, led primarily by sports betting, as total revenue in Q3 2019 rose 27.7% year-on-year to 346 million euros². For international sellers, accepting Cartes Bancaires delivers greater growth opportunities with improved access to French consumers. To further boost conversions, SafeCharge streamlines the checkout process with built-in, dynamic localisation of preferred language, transaction currencies, and payment methods.

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“It doesn’t just take great technology to succeed. Digital transformation is the key to growth in today’s global market. Businesses need a payment partner they can rely on to implement and execute a successful payment strategy,” said Philip Fayer, Nuvei’s chairman, and CEO. “Launching Cartes Bancaires acceptance gives our customers another edge needed to thrive locally and globally, all through a single, integrated platform.”

“We are excited to offer Cartes Bancaires as a local, preferred payment option, providing greater access to the booming French online market,” said Yuval Ziv, MD of SafeCharge and head of global acquiring. “Consumers in France have embraced eCommerce nearly universally. SafeCharge customers can now expand their business and maximise conversions, whilst delivering a localized user experience to a sophisticated and affluent consumer base.

Cartes Bancaires operates on a closed-loop interbank network, requiring a local acquiring connection. Outside of France, most cards can be processed internationally as typical Visa and Mastercard transactions through a co-branding arrangement, making cross-border online payments seamless.