Question 1: What is the aim of the program (event)?

Answer:The main objectives of the initiative are to

• promote the use of cashless payments in the Republic of Armenia,
• increase citizens’ engagement with modern financial instruments,
• ensure the sovereignty of the national payment system.

Question 2. Who are the beneficiaries of the initiative?
Answer. The beneficiaries of the initiative are individuals who have a Public Services Number of the Republic of Armenia or a certificate of exemption from obtaining a Public Services Number, and who have a bank account opened in their name to which an ARCA payment card is attached, and in the future also an ARCA co-badge payment card.

Question 3. What is the duration of the initiative?
Answer. The initiative will be implemented for transactions carried out from 1 January , 2026, to 31 December, 2026, inclusive. Cashback payments will be made accordingly from February 2026 through January 2027.

Question 4. When and how will the cashback be paid?
Answer. Cashbacks for payments made during the reporting month will be paid by the 25th day of the month following the reporting month, to the bank account through which the last cashback-eligible transaction of the reporting month was carried out. The bank will credit the cashback amount to the beneficiary’s ARCA or ARCA co-badge card accounts, or, in exceptional cases, to a non-card current account, giving priority to the account of the card used for the last transaction. The first cashbacks will be paid by February 25, 2026, based on cashless transactions carried out in January 2026.

Question 5. How is the project financed?
Answer. Within the framework of the initiative, 50% of the total cashback amount provided is financed from the state budget  of the Republic of Armenia, while the remaining 50% is financed by 15 commercial banks of the Republic of Armenia.
Within this project, Armenian Card CJSC acts as the operator of the ARCA card system and as the unified center for processing and transmitting data required for providing cashback on cashless transactions carried out by beneficiaries.
Moreover, the State’s contribution under this project is not limited to only 1% of the total cashback paid: the income tax payable for other beneficiaries will also be paid by the State, as a result of which beneficiaries will receive a net 2% cashback credited to their respective bank accounts for cashless transactions performed.

Question 6. For payments made with which types of payment cards will cashback be calculated?
Answer. Cashbacks will be calculated only for transactions carried out using ARCA payment cards issued by commercial banks of the Republic of Armenia, including co-badge payment cards jointly issued with other payment systems.

Question 7: From which banks and under which conditions can ARCA payment cards be obtained? Answer: ARCA payment cards can be obtained from 14 commercial banks operating in the Republic of Armenia: 

• ACBA BANK OJSC
• AMERIABANK CJSC 
• AMIO BANK CJSC 
• ID Bank CJSC 
• ARARATBANK OJSC 
• Ardshinbank CJSC 
• Artsakhbank CJSC 
• BYBLOS Bank Armenia CJSC 
• EVOCABANK OJSC 
• Inecobank CJSC 
• Converse Bank CJSC 
• ARMECONOMBANK OJSC 
• Unibank OJSC 
• Fast Bank CJSC 

The terms of issuance and service of the card are set by each bank separately.

Question 8: From which transactions is the cashback calculated? 

Answer. The cashback is calculated from payments made for goods or services with ARCA payment cards issued by commercial banks of the Republic of Armenia through physical or virtual POS terminals installed at legal entities registered in the territory of the Republic of Armenia.

Question 9: How much is the cashback amount? 

Answer: The cashback amount is 2% and is calculated from payments exceeding  AMD 1,000 . The maximum cashback threshold for one transaction is AMD 6,000, and the maximum monthly cashback threshold for one person is AMD 60,000.

Example:

 If the beneficiary makes a one-time purchase of 500,000 AMD with the ARCA card, the cashback is calculated as follows:

• 2% of AMD 500,000 is AMD 10,000 
• Since the calculated 2% exceeds the maximum threshold set for a single transaction (AMD 6,000), the beneficiary will be paid a refund of AMD 6,000  for that transaction. This amount will be included in the beneficiary’s total refund for that month, until the monthly maximum threshold (AMD 60,000) is reached.

Question 10. What are the transactions for which a cashback is not provided?

Answer: Cashback is not provided in the following cases:

• Payments for information, communication and utility services
• Payments made in favor of RA state and community budget
• Transactions made in high-risk salespoints (“Content for adults”, “Dating websites and platforms, “Casinos and gaming services”, “Cryptocurrency exchanges, crypto wallets, and other crypto services”, ‘Digital file storage and remote access services’, “Gambling, high-risk financial trading platforms, “Telemarketing services”, “Automatically renewable subscriptions”, and “Trading of precious metals and stones”, with the exception of Pharmacies;
• any payments and transactions charged in favor of a financial institution for services offered by financial organizations;
• transactions carried out using ARCA gift cards and single-use cards;
• received cashbacks, reimbursements, and chargebacks. In this regard, cashbacks previously paid for the underlying transactions of cashbacks, reimbursements, and chargebacks will be deducted from the cashbacks payable for the current month.

Question 11: What happens if the purchase has been returned?

Answer: If the purchase has been cancelled or returned, the cashback on that transaction is deducted from the cashback payable for the next month.

Question 12: What happens if the account is closed?

If due to the beneficiary’s bank account being closed or other reason the cashback amount has not been transferred, the beneficiary has a right to visit the bank servicing him/her within 6 months to receive the refund.

Question 13: Are the payments made via pension cards included in this event program?

Answer: Yes. The pension cards, if they are ARCA or ARCA co-badge cards are included in cashback program. This program operates regardless of the current 20% cashback program and is applied in addition to it.

Question 14: If the beneficiary has questions regarding the cashback calculation or the amount transferred to its account, where should he/she apply?

Answer: If the beneficiary has any questions regarding the calculation, transfer, and amount credited to his/her account, he/she should contact the bank serving him/her.

Question 15: Is it possible to attach ARCA cards to Google Pay or Apple Pay wallets?

Answer: Currently the Comnpany carries out appropriate works to ensure the attachment of cards in Google Pay and Apple Pay wallets. We predict that this will be possible from the second half of the year.

Question 16: Is it possible to make contactless transactions through ARCA cards?

Answer: Yes. ARCA cards can be used to make contactless payments.

Question 17: Is it possible to order ARCA digital cards?

Answer: The ordering of a digital card is planned to implemented in line with the feature of linking ARCA cards in Google Pay and Apple Pay wallets.

Question 18: When is the issue of ARCA co-badge cards planned?

Answer: The issue of ARCA co-badge cards is planned on the first half of 2026. In the upcoming months co-badge cards with Arca-China UnionPay payment system are planned to issue, while the works on isuuing Arca co-badge cards with MasterCard payment system are at the contract signing stage. Armenian Card CJSC is open and welcomes offers from all international card payment systems.

Question 19: Why does ARCA cooperate with RA Government within this program?

Answer: The program has two main goals: to promote the increase in cashless payments and ensure the sovereignty of national payment system. ARCA, being a national payment system of the Republic of Armenia, ensures the continuity and security of cashless payments infrastructure, as well as the  interoperability between all participants, and ensuring the sovereignty of the payment system is one of the missions of the Company's strategy.

Question 20: Why is the cashback calculated only for payments made via ARCA payment cards?

Answer: Based on the mission of ensuring payment sivereignty in Armenia, a decision has been made to provide cashbacks only from cashless transactions made via ARCA payment cards, as well as taking into account the practice of international card payment systems and the policy adopted towards free competitive environment a decision has been made that refunds will be provided not only for cashless transactions carried out with ARCA cards, but also for cashless transactions carried out with co-badge cards issued jointly with ARCA and international card payment systems.

Yes, after entering the one-time password sent to the customer’s mobile number at the ATM, the customer can set their preferred PIN code. The PIN of an active card can also be changed via the ATM by selecting the "Change PIN" option and confirming the new four-digit code.

Yes, daily withdrawal or transaction limits can be increased as defined in the Bank's Tariffs and Rates approved by the Management Board.

Yes, an additional card with a separate PIN code can be linked to the main card, allowing family members to access the cardholder’s account

Yes, it is possible

Yes, it is possible. Non-account transfers from abroad can be received within minutes using the My Transfer service

Currently, multi-currency plastic cards are not issued. However, transfers between cards of different currencies issued by Armenian banks are possible.
At "Armeconombank" CJSC branches and Head Office, cash withdrawal from foreign currency cards is available in both foreign currency and AMD, while ATMs issue cash only in AMD.

Yes. Card account top-ups are possible via the TelCell, EasyPay, iDram, and Mobidram payment systems

Yes. Transfers can be made via the ArCa.am app, cabinet.arca.am website, or the AEB Mobile app using the "Card-to-card" function.
Transfers between card accounts can be made through the "Transfers in Armenia" section of the AEB Mobile app.
Note: ArCa.am and cabinet.arca.am use the same login credentials.

Deposited amounts are usually activated within 15–20 minutes. Amounts deposited between 9:30 AM and 12:00 PM are activated by 1:00 PM.

No. For security reasons, if the PIN is entered incorrectly three times, the ATM will capture the card

No. After unblocking, the card must be used for at least one transaction or balance inquiry via ATM before using it at a POS terminal. Otherwise, it will be blocked again

Yes. ArCa Classic MIR cards can be used in Russia, Crimea, and other countries connected to the Russian NSPK payment system. More details: https://mironline.ru/payment-system/geo/

Yes. Visa Infinite and Visa Platinum cards include PriorityPass service.

• Visa Infinite holders: 6 free visits per year.

• Visa Platinum holders: 2 free visits per year.
  In all other cases, including accompanying guests, a fee of USD 27 (or its equivalent) is charged.

No. Additional cards cannot be linked to MasterCard ARMECs cards. Once the credit line is fully repaid, the card is also closed.

Yes, it is possible. Visit http://www.cardholderbenefitsonline.com/, enter your 16-digit Visa Infinite card number under the "Insurance Benefits" section, and download the insurance policy form. Once filled out, the policy is valid for 90 days from the date of completion, provided at least 50% of the trip expenses were paid with the Visa Infinite card.

Yes. Payments can be made via payment terminals, the AEB Mobile app, or the online platform https://payment.aeb.am.
This platform allows utility and other payments, loan repayments, and account/card top-ups.