Final Report The Committee for Promoting Use June of Advanced Means of Payment in 2017 Israel Final Report of the Committee for Promoting Use of Advanced Means of Payment in Israel Table of Contents 1. Forward .......................................................................................................................... 2 2. Executive summary ........................................................................................................ 3 3. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 7 4. Overview of advanced means of payment worldwide ................................................... 9 5. Overview of advanced means of payment in Israel ..................................................... 11 6. Advantages of using advanced means of payment ....................................................... 18 7. Alternatives for conducting transactions using advanced means of payment in the current payment systems .......................................................................................................... 20 8. Barriers to using advanced means of payment ............................................................. 24 9. Risk associated with use of advanced means of payment ............................................ 27 10. Legal aspects related to promoting use of advanced means of payment...................... 32 11. Summary and recommendations .................................................................................. 34 12. Glossary of terms ......................................................................................................... 42 13. Committee members .................................................................................................... 44 Appendix A—Regulating the Payments Market in the EU................................................. 45 Appendix B—Advanced means of payment: The FATF recommendations related to money laundering ............................................................................................................................ 47 1 Final Report of the Committee for Promoting Use of Advanced Means of Payment in Israel 1. Forward The payment system in Israel has been in constant flux over recent years, as a result of the implementation of various reforms, technological developments and global developments. Such change leads, inter alia , to promotion of ventures involving advanced means of payment by the banking system in Israel, as well as by private companies. The Joint Committee on Advanced Means of Payment was established in March 2014, in order to regulate the advanced means of payment area in aspects of information security, AML (anti-money laundering) and terrorism financing, business continuity, competition, stability and efficiency—so as to encourage the public in Israel to expand the use of advanced means of payment. The manner of such regulation is very important and therefore the Committee was required to refer to several key aspects: The outline to promote use of advanced means of payment, the frequent technological changes that impact on the use of advanced means of payment, securing transactions involving advanced means of payment with emphasis on information security, cyber risk and fraud as well as consumer protection. The Committee considers that use of advanced means of payment as part of the payment system in Israel should be promoted by integrated regulation of the legal, technology and consumer infrastructures. This includes, inter alia , regulation of the legal basis for activities involving advanced means of payment and setting up a new retail payment system for rapid settlement of payments made using advanced means of payment, including a secure national communication infrastructure. In November 2015, the Committee published an interim report that was formulated after an extensive examination of promotion of using advanced means of payment in Israel. Beginning from the date of publication of the Interim Report, the Committee worked to advance the main recommendations published in the report and is currently publishing the final report on its activities. Some of the Committee’s recommendations were promoted successfully and others are in various stages of implementation. I am confident that the comprehensive and fundamental work of the Committee will serve as a base for advancing Israel’s payment system in coming years. I wish to thank all those who have appeared before the Committee and contributed of their experience. I am especially thankful to my colleagues, Committee members from the Prime Minister's Office, Anti-Money Laundering and Terror Financing Authority, Israel Tax Authority, Ministry of Justice, Israel Antitrust Authority, National Cyber Bureau, National Information Security Authority, State Attorney's Office, Israeli Police, the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Israel for the professional work—they have all invested significant time and effort in compiling the Committee’s final recommendations. Special thanks to the Secretary of the Committee, Nir Levy, who worked with great dedication to focusing the Committee’s discussions and for his marked contribution to writing this final report. Sincerely, Irit Mendelson, Committee Chair Director of the Accounting, Payment and Settlement Systems Department Bank of Israel 2 Final Report of the Committee for Promoting Use of Advanced Means of Payment in Israel 2. Executive summary Recommendations made by the Committee on Reducing Use of Cash in the Israeli Economy, designed to reduce the shadow economy in Israel ("the Locker Committee ") indicated the need for promoting advanced means of payment in Israel, as an alternative to paper-based means of payment (cash and checks). The Joint Committee on Advanced Means of Payment was established in March 2014, in order to regulate the area of advanced means of payment (hereinafter: "the Committee "). The Committee focused on examining the promotion of use of advanced means of payment, which would contribute to increased competition, efficiency and security of the payment system in Israel. The Committee reviewed advanced means of payment in Israel and worldwide, including digital debit payment instruction (at times termed digital check), electronic wallet, Mobile payments and online payments (Business to Business (B2B), Business to Person (B2P), Person to Business (P2B) and Person to Person (P2P)), with emphasis on the risks involved in the use thereof, required regulation and infrastructure. It should be noted that advanced means of payment do not necessarily exist separately from currently existing means of payment—cash loading, bank transfers, direct debit or debit cards—but in many cases they are based on such currently existing means and make use of existing infrastructure and payment systems in Israel. Currently, most advanced payments in Israel are based on payment cards; however, the Committee envisages the development of a range of payment options, including transfer of monetary value through new entities that would provide payment services, payments made directly from bank accounts as well as development of other payment solutions. Use of advanced means of payment offers multiple advantages, including: Reduced use of cash and reduction of the shadow economy in Israel; increased competition through introduction of new entities, who would provide payment services; creating a situation where an entity that has developed an advanced means of payment has a competitive advantage over other entities in the payment system; reduced transaction costs compared to other means of payment; documentation of transactions involving the means of payment; convenient use for customers—both payer and payee—and availability to customers. Furthermore, use of advanced means of payment would allow for digital monitoring of transactions, which would be documented in the financial system and in payment systems. In order to benefit from advantages of advanced means of payment, the Committee recommends, inter alia , to set up an advanced national settlement infrastructure, to include secure communications for retail payments and to regulate these means of payment and payment services. Note that along with the aforementioned advantages, advanced means of payment also incorporate various legal aspects, including consumer protection and various risk factors, primarily cyber risk and AML and terrorism financing risk. The typical flexibility of advanced means of payment and use of advanced computer platforms may expose users to impersonation, abuse, fraud, and services or products not rendered, by various entities. 3 Final Report of the Committee for Promoting Use of Advanced Means of Payment in Israel Furthermore, the multitude of methods for payment transfer, along with competition for customers, may impact the level of security of activity using such means of payment. The Bank of Israel and relevant entities are considering and monitoring such risk factors and are prepared to address them. In November 2015, the Committee published an Interim Report which reviewed its actions 1 and the areas it emphasized in the course of its work. Among other things, the Committee was required to refer to payment systems, payment service providers and customers (both businesses and individuals) from various aspects, including: (a) Technology aspects: Absence of a settlement system that consolidates approvals of transactions made using advanced means of payment,