CaixaBank : One hundred banks from 50 countries take part in the CaixaBank and WSBI conference to discuss the future of payment systems

One hundred banks meet today and tomorrow in Barcelona at the 'Innovation in Payments' conference, organized by the World Savings and Retail Banking Institute (WSBI), to discuss the global future for payment systems.

Based in Brussels, WSBI is an organization representing more than 6,000 retail banks from all over the globe. Isidro Fainé, Chairman of CaixaBank, is Vice-Chairman of the organization. This is the first time that the group has chosen Barcelona for an event aimed at its worldwide members.

At the 'Innovation in Payments' opening ceremony, Antoni Massanell, Vice-Chairman of CaixaBank, argued that banks need a complete rethink of their business models, readying them for what he described as 'a new era'. "What is clear is that 'business as usual' has finished. In a few years, most of our old sources of revenues will have disappeared, so we must begin to open the way to the new world and develop services based on challenging business models to progressively provide new sources of income", said Antoni Massanell.

The CaixaBank Vice-Chairman went on to argue that digital banking represents a means of improving services and driving inclusion: "It's not only a challenge, but also a responsibility for us to make it happen and available to all, so that this new era in digital banking and the payments industry allows us to better serve our customers, to offer new opportunities to the unbanked, reinforce financial inclusion and help build a better world for all".

"If retail banks want to remain relevant", said Chris de Noose, WSBI Managing Director, "they absolutely need to invest in innovation. This innovation will come from various parts of the world, from banks and non-banks to the ultimate profit of the end consumer. As dynamic parts of the overall financial sector, the WBSI retail banks stand ready to play a prominent role in the revolution that is currently happening."

About the Innovation in Payments Conference

Innovation in Payments is a forum on the technological revolution ongoing in the financial sector, particularly in payment methods driven by emerging technologies for mobile payments, P2P payments, digital wallets and e-commerce applications. The agenda also features debates on how big data can be harnessed in the financial industry and the implications of new players joining the financial ecosystem.

Speakers at the event include globally renowned figures and representatives from the European Central Bank, CecaBank, the German Savings Bank Association and the Independent Community Bankers of America. As for financial institutions, among the speakers and guests will be executives from retail banks and savings banks in more than 50 countries, including Sumitomo (Japan), Swedbank (Sweden), SNS Bank (Holland), AktifBank (Turkey), Bank of East Asia (Hong Kong), AFB (South Africa), BancoEstado (Chile) and HFC Bank (Ghana).

Key players in the payment systems industry are also in attendance, such as Visa, PayPal, Global Payments, Le Compte Nickel, Cignifi, SWIFT and MyBank.

About WSBI

WSBI brings together savings and retail banks in all continents and represents the interest of circa 6,000 financial institutions with total assets of USD 14 trillion and serving some 1 billion customers in 80 countries worldwide ( 2013 figures).

As a global institution, WSBI focuses on international regulatory issues that affect the savings and retail banking industry. It supports the aims of the G20 in achieving sustainable, inclusive and balanced growth and job creation around the world, whether in industrialised or less developed countries.

WSBI favours an inclusive form of globalization that is just and fair, supporting international efforts to advance financial access and financial usage for everyone. It supports a diversified range of financial services that meet customers' transaction, savings and borrowing needs responsibly.

To these ends, WBI recognizes that there are always lessons to be learned from savings and retail banks from different environments and economic circumstances. It therefore fosters the exchange of experience and best practices among its members and supports their advancement as sound, well-governed and inclusive financial institutions.

About CaixaBank

CaixaBank is the leading financial group in the Spanish market. It operates in banking and insurance, has investments in international banks and is firmly committed to pursuing growth. The bank, overseen by Chairman Isidro Fainé and CEO Gonzalo Gortázar, serves 14 million customers, operates a network of 5,251 branches and is the market leader in retail banking thanks to its strong commercial operations, risk-appropriate management, foresight and consistent innovation.

CaixaBank is a leader in technological innovation and has been a pioneer of new payment systems. It has more than 14 million cards in circulation and a market share of 21.3%. CaixaBank was the first bank in Spain to introduce contactless payment technology, with more than 4 million contactless cards now in circulation and over 200,000 contactless-ready POS. The bank has a 25% market share in the merchant services segment.

CaixaBank also serves more than 4 million mobile service customers, 3.4 million of which use the Línea Abierta application. Overall the bank processes 120 million mobile transactions on a monthly basis, of which 33% involve fund transfers. The bank also has 70 applications available, which have been downloaded more than 10 million times.

CaixaBank recently won the Innovative Spirit in Banking accolade at the 2014 Global Banking Innovation Awards, organised by the Bank Administration Institute and Finacle. Likewise, CaixaBank was named World's Most Innovative Bank by the British magazine Euromoney, for which it competed against banks from all over the world.