Bank Austria under CEO VLAHO: Revolution in payment transactions!

Bank Austria under CEO VLAHO: Revolution in payment transactions!

UniCredit Bank Austria under the direction of CEO Ivan Vlaho has been shown in an impressive development phase for more than a year. The financial service provider has taken significant steps to expand its payment transactions and strengthen independence in the credit card market. In the past 14 months, among other things, the bank has advanced the publication of its own credit cards for private customers and built up the acquiring business for retailers internally. These measures are part of a comprehensive strategy that aims to cover the entire value chain in the payment area in order to better meet the needs of customers.

One of the main goals of the bank is to expand small corporate customers more strongly. Vlaho emphasizes that many companies in this segment have not yet had an account with the bank. In the first half of 2025, Unicredit Bank was able to win 500 new customers from the area of smaller companies. This target group is becoming increasingly important because Austria is considered a stable and wealthy market with a low unemployment rate and high wages.

new products and developments in payment transactions

UniCredit Bank Austria has significantly expanded its offer in payment transactions in order to remain competitive. The new credit cards include modern additional services that create a digital customer experience. This includes the support of existing digital wallets such as Google Pay and Apple Pay, which increases the attractiveness of the new cards. There is also an exclusive partnership with MasterCard that offers customers a globally accepted payment solution.

In the acquiring area, comprehensive omnichannel solutions for the point of sale (POS), e-commerce and mobile payments are provided. Established processes for quick provision of terminals within 48 hours, dealers should be provided with intelligent tools for data analysis and fraud monitoring. Such solutions enable the bank to manage essential business areas internally and at the same time recognize the importance of the digitization revolution in finance.

market developments and competitive environment

The general economic situation in Austria is stable again after two years of recession. Around 58 % of the payments are still in cash, but the use of cashless payments increases continuously. The number of card transactions will be estimated at 1.9 billion in 2024, which represents an increase of 13 % compared to the previous year. Overall, the transaction volume, which was triggered with Austrian payment cards, is about 80 billion euros.

The competition between traditional banks and fintechs increases, the latter often offer faster and more functional solutions. Young adults between the ages of 18 and 35 in particular are open to new technologies and payment models. Over 60 % of this age group already use mobile wallets for their daily expenses. It is all the more important for banks to orientate yourself to these trends to secure your own competitiveness.

The strategic steps of Ivan Vlaho and Unicredit Bank Austria testify to a clear focus on innovation and customer orientation. The bank has recognized that the changes in payment transactions not only offer challenges, but also great opportunities. At a time when payment transactions are increasingly digitized, the success of the bank will also depend on its ability in the coming years to continuously adapt to these dynamic market conditions.

For Unicredit Bank Austria, it is crucial that it continues to invest in innovative technologies and at the same time maintains personal contact with her customers. Ivan Vlaho sees this the greatest priority and relies on values such as integrity and psychological security within the company to create effective leadership structures.

Further information is available in the reports of Leadersnet href = "https://www.bankaustria.at/ueber-uns-presse-pressinformations_79245.jsp"> Bank Austria and Pwc .