Payment Card Industry Standards Council Focuses on Russia

The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council is making its security standards available on a Russian-language microsite as part of a move to promote data security in Russia.

"As a growing payments market, it's important that Russia has the resources it needs to protect payment data," says Bob Russo, general manager of the PCI Security Standards Council, in an Aug. 8 press release.

There are about 150 million debit cards in Russia, and fewer than 40 million prepaid cards and 15 million credit cards for a population of 143 million, says Mercator Research, which predicts these numbers to grow to nearly 250 million debit cards, 140 million prepaid cards and 50 million credit cards over the next two years. American card brands are the leading cards in Russia, with few local competitors, such as Zolotaya Korona, offering a full range of products, Mercator says.

Card security in Russia can be confusing—a national project to produce identity cards has an uncertain scope and timeframe. The Russian market is also a hybrid between a European-style developed market and an emerging economy, depending on the part of the country. The acceptance of EMV-chip cards also varies by region.

The PCI council's website also offers materials in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish.