**Technical Glitch Resolved: Card Payments in Germany Restored After Hours of Disruption**
Card payments in Germany were disrupted for several hours today, but the situation improved by the afternoon. The problem was caused by a technical issue with an IT service provider. This isn't an isolated case—experts recommend being prepared for such events
By Caroline von Eichhorn
BR24 Editorial Team
Many people now prefer to pay with a card rather than cash at supermarket checkouts, but today, there were significant issues nationwide. Due to a technical malfunction at an international IT service provider, many credit, debit, and giro cards were unusable until late afternoon across Germany.
Around 4:00 PM, the German Banking Association announced that the problems had been resolved. "Payments at retail terminals with all cards are now functioning as usual," they stated. There were also isolated issues with ATMs and abroad.
The disruptions, which began early this morning, were due to problems with an international IT service provider, First Data, a subsidiary of the US company Fiserv, which processes card payments for many German banks and savings banks. According to a company spokesperson, there was a technical issue with some processing services. The banking industry had ruled out a cyberattack early on.
Although the disruptions were extensive and significant, they were not unprecedented. Similar issues with cashless payments have occurred before, such as in May this year due to software errors with card payment terminals. About two years ago, technical problems led to multi-day outages of card payment systems.
"These large-scale disruptions are rare but have massive impacts because many people rely on their cards and carry little or no cash in their daily lives," said consumer advocate David Riechmann from the NRW Consumer Protection Center. "Currently, it's advisable to keep a sufficient amount of cash, either by withdrawing it from ATMs or emptying your piggy bank, to avoid daily inconveniences."
For banking professor Hans-Peter Burghof from the University of Hohenheim, such disruptions are not surprising. "Payment processes go through many different channels, making the system vulnerable," he said. "No system will function perfectly all the time, so it’s important to have alternatives." This could be cash or even the digital euro if traditional payment methods fail.
Such issues also pose challenges for retailers. "Payment disruptions are always problematic for retail businesses," said Stefan Genth, the Chief Executive of the German Retail Federation. "Customers may become uncertain about whether they can pay with a card, which can lead them to postpone their purchases. Retailers also pay fees to network operators and card issuers for using cashless payment systems. They, in turn, expect the technology to function properly."
**Transparency Note:** Earlier versions of this article used the term "EC card." However, since 2007, the payment method has been known as "Girocard." The article has been updated accordingly.
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