OREANDA-NEWS. October 11, 2011. Sampo Pank began to issue MasterCard cards to retail customers. Compared with traditional bank cards MasterCard cards excel for extremely comprehensive cardholder benefits and improved security, reported the press-centre of Sampo Pank.

Users of new MasterCard cards are not charged a foreign transaction fee (in the current banking market usually 1% of a purchase) for transactions performed in foreign currency. It is a noteworthy advantage for a cardholder who travels a lot.

According to Sampo Pank’s Head of Cards Ainar Nurk the new cards are beneficial for customers, both directly in terms of money and indirectly through various benefits.

„Customers who often travel are familiar with the MasterCard loyalty program already today, because there are a number of destinations all over Europe where only MasterCard customers can enjoy benefits. Regarding the total benefits to our customers we have decided to replace Visa cards with MasterCards . Additionally, Sampo Pank offers MasterCard holders a discount on the price of petrol in Olerex petrol stations “ explained Mr Nurk.

In collaboration with MasterCard Sampo Pank has developed a chip card of the latest generation – a secure DDA chip card which has replaced the older SDA chip card.

Sampo Pank is the first bank in Estonia that will make international offers by MasterCard available to Estonian customers.

„We will provide our customers an opportunity to benefit from seasonal benefits offered by MasterCard, e.g. benefits for travelling, spare time activities, as well as accommodation both near and far. The best offers in the near term are certainly benefits provided by ski resorts and by the world’s largest hotel chains,” added Mr Nurk.

Sampo Pank’s MasterCard cards have been designed by the following Estonian designers: Asko Kunnap and Kadri Kuusk.