Prepaid Report

Polymath Consulting are the editors and publishers of the twice yearly Prepaid report which has been published since 2007 and is established as the leading UK centric report on Open Loop Prepaid Cards.

The report has tracked every consumer loaded card issued in the UK, their fees and benefits. There are now over 230 cards, up from only 108 in 2008. Although UK centric in terms of fee analysis data the report also covers all publically available research on key markets in Europe, India and the Middle East. The report also covers an analysis of all nearly every major stadium and festival (closed and open loop) programme implemented along with identifying over 50 prepaid card processors worldwide and many new European programme managers. With the increasing growth of mobile we have also pulled together most of the various research on mobile payments carried out and have new expanded sections on mobile and NFC.

Recent purchasers of the card have included: Carta Worldwide, Skrill, BarclayCard, MasterCard, American Express, Visa Inc, UK Post Office to name but a few.

Past Clients of the report have commented:

"As a user of this report for the past 13 issues I find this a valuable tool and short cut when looking at the market trends. The Partners section is a must have when looking to enter the market as gives you insights into who's working with who. This can help you navigate the supply chain much more efficiently. I would recommend the report for all involved in the market or looking to enter the market. "
David Carr, Lyca Money

“This is an invaluable analysis of the prepaid sector and provides an accessible and up to date source of reliable data, especially with regard to trends in cards fees and many other crucial issues”;
Mark Chirnside, CEO Ukash.

“The report is great, it is in effect an encyclopedia of the UK prepaid card industry. If you want to know something it is quick and easy to find the answer from one central resources, updated quarterly”; Sara West, Oberthur Cards

"In such a dynamic market I need to source industry data quickly and reliably. For me the Pepper report is the reference guide providing a comprehensive view on developments in the Prepaid Sector",
Richard Cooper, FIS

If you would like to download an extract of the report please click here for a PDF

What the report covers:

  • Analysis of the UK prepaid card market taking a detailed look at what’s happening in prepaid cards within the UK with reference to key learnings from other markets.
  • The types of prepaid card are discussed in some detail. The relative customer propositions, target audiences and relevant market research are all reviewed
  • The report provides a background to the growth of the UK prepaid card market, citing activity in the USA and comparing the drivers there to the situation in the UK with particular reference to UK banks and their approach. Legislative and political influences are also discussed
  • A fully detailed analysis of the infrastructure of prepaid card payments in the UK provides current relevant information on the capabilities and constraints on the players that help to make the system work
  • There is a full breakdown of the fee structures for each live card in the UK and from that a detailed analysis and comparison of these fees
  • There is a comprehensive discussion on building the business case for prepaid cards with financial models for some key types
  • The report outlines who is involved in issuing prepaid cards and all the competitors covering: programme managers, BIN sponsors and processors

Costs
The report costs £5,000 for an initial purchase and then £2,500 for subsequent updates (plus VAT if applicable) - prices unchanged since 2007