Between 2020 and 2021, Hungary’s electronic payments market experienced unprecedented growth, expanding by 20-30% each quarter. This rapid development was driven by several external factors: changes in the regulatory environment (starting January 1, 2021, businesses with electronic cash registers were legally required to offer electronic payment options) and shifts in payment habits caused by the direct and indirect impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. While in 2021, communication around the benefits of electronic payments focused on both these factors, by 2022, the pandemic had largely subsided, and most businesses were already complying with the legal requirements. This meant we needed to find a fresh approach and new motivations to engage more reluctant partners.

With the previous arguments—such ascompliance with legislation and the health benefits of electronic payments -losing relevance, our 2022 focus shifted to the changing payment habits,customer expectations, and the growing need for electronic payment options. Our new approach emphasized that electronic payments have become a normal part of everyday life. It's no longer a bonus for businesses to offer this service—it's expected. In fact, not offering electronic payment options has become acompetitive disadvantage.

Our organic press efforts led to 120 media appearances, reaching an estimated audience of over 14 million. Through paid media partnerships, we extended the reach of key company messages to an additional 128,617 readers. Posts on our own social media platforms reached a total of 905,075 users. OTP Bank, which holds over 70% of the POS terminal market, saw its market share grow by more than 1% between the end of 2021 and the end of 2022. Additionally, 55% of all communications about electronic payments were linked to OTP Bank.