Last checked at 
(Sharecast News) - NatWest has switched to issuing Mastercard debit cards from Visa, in an agreement that includes 16m consumer and business customer cards.
The agreement with Mastercard also includes all of NatWest Group's brands, including Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank and Coutts, Reuters reported.
The bank is the latest UK lender to switch as Mastercard is eating into Visa's lead in debit cards. Mastercard has already struck deals with Santander UK and HSBC's First Direct.
Mastercard said in a statement on Thursday after the change that it would account for around one in three of all consumer debit cards in circulation by banks in the UK.
"We believe this partnership will enable us to offer more tailored payment options to our customers however they wish to pay - whether in store, online or via mobile devices," said Salim Secretary, head of payment schemes and partnerships at NatWest.
1 Mar 2024 08:15
IN BRIEF: National Bank of Australia CEO Ross McEwan to join BHP board
BHP Group Ltd - Melbourne, Australia-based miner - Appoints Ross McEwan as a non-executive director, starting April 3. McEwan is the chief executive officer of National Bank of Australia Ltd. He will retire as the CEO of NAB, effective from July 1. McEwan also joins Farnborough, Hampshire-based defence technology firm QinetiQ Group PLC as non-executive director from Friday. He served as CEO of Royal Bank of Scotland Group, now named NatWest Group PLC, from 2013 to 2019.
Read more