With increasingly improved financial system and rapid economic and social development, more and more cardholders in Tibet today can enjoy the convenience of using smart cards.

The “local residents" consumption pattern has changed a lot,” said by Puzhen, Deputy Manager of Beijing Road Branch of China Construction Bank in Lhasa. “Swiping card has been widely accepted  among Tibetans, especially youngsters. Most of them have more than one card. ”

Tibetan girl Deqing with her mother lining in the bank, told the reporter that it was much more convenient to swipe the card instead of paying in cash. Meanwhile ATM and POS machines are available at most stores in Lhasa now.

According to China UnionPay Tibet Branch, from January to April 2011, over 100,000 bankcards including 3,650 credit cards were issued by the financial institutions in Tibet.

From January to May 2011, the number and the amount of the region’s trading transactions through China UnionPay cards in Tibet  reached to 0.77 million yuan and 1.237 billion yuan, up 43.09 % and 76.71% respectively over the same period last year.

Local financial institutions have issued favorable cards for farmers and migrant workers in accordance with the financial needs of farmers and herdsmen to facilitate their daily lives and to promote a change in their consuming attitude, said by Xin Jianhua, deputy manager of China Union Pay Tibet Branch.

Travelers to Tibet now do not have to take much cash with them during their trips as business connections have been made between banks in the region and other places.