AZE.US
Azerbaijani lawyer Akram Hasanov has criticized proposed limits on issuing multiple debit cards of the same type in the same currency, arguing that the restriction could weaken a practical layer of protection against fraud.
Hasanov said holding two cards at the same bank allows a customer to keep most savings on one card and transfer only the amount needed for a purchase to the card used for daily payments, according to Vesti Baku.
If criminals obtain the payment card’s details, the customer’s main funds would remain separate, he said. Hasanov argued that limiting duplicate cards could deprive customers of that risk-control option.
He also questioned whether banks had independently and simultaneously decided to reduce card issuance. Hasanov suggested the initiative may have originated with the authorities, but he did not provide evidence for that claim.
Under the basic approach described by Azerbaijan’s banking industry, a customer would generally be permitted one manat-denominated card and one card in each foreign currency for every card product at a bank.
Existing cards would remain valid until their expiration dates, Vesti Baku previously reported.
Salary, pension and social-benefit cards, along with cards tied to business and deposit accounts, would be exempt. Banks could also authorize additional cards when a customer demonstrates a justified need.
The Azerbaijan Banks Association has said the approach is intended to support risk management and payment security.
Hasanov’s criticism raises a practical question for banks: whether separating savings from everyday spending will qualify as sufficient grounds for issuing a second card of the same product.
Source: Vesti Baku.