To preserve this advantage, Norway needs to be a leader. Technological developments pave the way for new possibilities – new means of payment are introduced and existing means of payment become faster and cheaper. While most changes result in a more efficient system, they also pose new challenges. New technology and outsourcing require stricter standards for both the risk management framework and contingency preparedness. Responsibility rests with system owners. As supervisory and oversight authority, Norges Bank has a duty to point out any deficiencies and weaknesses. There are also challenges associated with the pricing of payment services. When given a choice of payment solution, customers are not charged prices that reflect actual costs. Does this make the system more expensive than necessary? Banks operate most of their payment solutions at a loss. Does this have to be? Are banks’ incentives to invest in secure and forward-looking solutions being weakened? Risk and costs are drivers of change The main structure of the payment system has remained fixed for a number of years, but there have been changes, both to the part of the system customers encounter and to interbank settlement. Behind many of the changes is a desire to reduce risk or costs, often both. 2  1  See the Payment Systems Act. 2  The discussion of trade-offs between costs and risk is inspired by Kahn et al.
The result can be that an inexpensive solution – BankAxept – is supplanted in favour of more expensive solutions. In Denmark, merchants charge a fee to customers who use a credit card. A similar practice in Norway could keep down payment costs. The profit banks earn on the use of international payment cards is higher than on BankAxept. It is therefore likely that, in isolation, it is in the interest of many banks for customers to choose international payment cards. New European regulations that will set a cap on the fees issuers of payment cards can charge are in the pipeline. This will likely weaken banks’ incentive to promote international payment cards. Banks continue to lose money on payment services. The cost survey we are presenting today does show that banks’ cost coverage has increased somewhat over time. But income still amounts to only 76 percent of the costs associated with payment services. Banks lose money on all main types of payment instruments, except for international cards. The losses must be covered by income from other banking activities. Pricing that does not cover costs may be a conscious choice by banks. Some customers may believe that they should not have to pay for using their own money. At the same time, mispricing and losses weaken banks’ ability and willingness to promote efficient solutions and invest in new infrastructure. That is not a forward-looking approach. We must invest now to ensure efficient and secure payments also in the future.