Global payments market

n 2005, an estimated $40 trillion globally passed through some type of payment system. Roughly $12 trillion of that was transacted through various credit cards, mostly the 21,000 member banks of VISA and MasterCard. Processing payments, including the extending of credit, produced close to $500 billion in revenue.[1] [edit] Debit cards In the U.S., debit cards are the fastest growing payment technology. In 2001, debit cards accounted for 9 percent of all purchase transactions, and this is expected to double to 18.82 percent in 2011[2] [edit] Checks Historically, checks have been one of the primary means of payment for purchasing goods and services in the U.S. In 2001, checks accounted for 25 percent of the U.S.-based payment mix; in 2006, this is projected at 17 percent. [3]