Regional card blocking (geo-blocking) - the basic facts

In several posts I have touched on regional card blocking, often known as geo-blocking.  What is it? Why is it done? How is it done? Where is it done? Does it work? In this post I will try to briefly answer these questions.

What is Geo-blocking?
Many European card-issuers have spent a lot of money issuing EMV (Chip and PIN) compliant cards. When a card present payment transaction takes place the terminal reads the EMV chip on the card, while it is authenticated by the cardholder's PIN (either online or offline).  Geo-blocking is when an EMV card issuer blocks its cards from being used in certain countries or regions where magnetic stripe transactions are routinely performed.  All EMV cards are blocked unless they are 'white-listed' (i.e. the card holder intends to travel to a high risk country/region).

What do you think about ATMs?

As 2010 draws to a close, it is once again time to reflect on a year passed and to look ahead with anticipation, excitement or trepidation to the next. One thing seems pretty certain.....self service terminals, including ATMs are becoming more and more part of our lives. There are now over 2 million ATMs globally and the number is set to keep increasing as growth blossoms in less developed parts of the world.

Yet do we take them foregranted? The European ATM Security Team (EAST) runs regular online research polls to catch the views of all ATM users. These are just snapshots, but they do have a part to play in influencing the players in the industry. Visit the EAST Research Page to take the current poll and to download the results of past polls.

Have your say!!