Eye on ATMs: Visa Will Lift Dynamic Currency Conversion Restriction at ATMs, Euronet Says; New PAI Leadership |
In what may be a boon for ATMs Visa Inc will allow dynamic currency conversion for consumers using international ATMs beginning April 13 2019 says Euronet Worldwide Inc The Leawood Kan-based processor which operates more than 41 000 ATMs globally says the rule change enables acquirers and ATM operators to offer the conversion service which can convert the ATMs native currency into the cardholders currency on all international ATM transactions on Visa-branded cards around the world Visa notified operators on Sept 27 Euronet says Visa had not responded to a Digital Transactions News inquiry by publication time Currently dynamic currency conversion is only available for Visa-branded cards at the point of sale and on intraregional ATM transactions in Europe Euronet says This restriction within Europe meant the service was only available to cards issued and used in Europe for ATM cash withdrawals Euronet says the conversion service is available to Mastercard Inc-branded cards at most of its ATM fleet Euronet says Visas move which also makes other ATM-related value-added services available next year could increase its adjusted earnings per share by 60 cents to 65 cents in 2019 At least one analyst considers the impact on Euronets financial performance to be beneficial This estimate is likely conservative as it assumes the existing ATM count even though the company is likely to be more aggressive in ATM deployment particularly outside Europe given the improved economics writes analyst Chris Shutler at Chicago-based William Blair Co LLC Others may welcome the rule change too In February the National ATM Council Inc a trade organization for US ATM operators submitted a petition to Visa that sought elimination of the prohibition on dynamic currency conversion at ATMs In other ATM news Payment Alliance International named Neil Clark as the new chief executive officer of its ATM businesses The Louisville Ky-based ATM operator also appointed Clark and Marty Ambuehl the co-founders of ATM Express which PAI acquired in 2008 to its board of directors Clark served as a senior vice president at PAI from 2008 to mid-2014 according to his LinkedIn profile PAI also appointed Bill Blakey to its board Blakey previously had served as a PAI director through 2016 Clarks appointment as CEO comes about two months after three of the companys top executives left the company The departing executives were John J Leehy III who had been president and chief executive Greg Sahrmann formerly executive vice president and chief operating officer and Donna Embry chief payments advisor