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While debit card transaction growth continues to outpace that of credit cards at First Data Corp., the gap is narrowing, Michael Capellas, the processor's CEO and chairman, told analysts this week during an earnings conference call (CardLine, 3/25). The number of debit transactions Greenwood Village, Colo.-based First Data processed last year grew 15% over 2007. The pace of the growth slowed dramatically, to 4%, during the fourth quarter compared with the same period in 2007, Capellas said. First Data does not split out credit and debit transaction data in its 2008 earnings report. The report shows, however, that the company processed last year 26.9 billion domestic merchant transactions—including credit, signature and PIN debit, electronic benefits transfer and e-commerce transactions—a 5.9% increase from 25.4 billion in 2007. First Data's international transaction volume grew the most, 16.4%, to 6.4 billion from 5.5 billion.
