DIAS S.A. Αnnounces Record Financial performance and Strategic Milestones at annual General Meeting
Recorded double-digit growth in invoiced transactions, value of transactions, and net profit for the 3rd consecutive year
06.06.2024 - PRESS RELEASES
DIAS S.A., the Greek Automated Clearing House (ACH), announced its financial performance and strategic achievements for the Financial Year (FY) 2023 at the Annual General Meeting of shareholders, which was held today.

Key Highlights:

  • Outstanding Growth with sustained Availability: Over the past three years, DIAS has achieved a cumulative growth of 43,4% in terms of invoiced transactions, 47,6% in revenues, and 235,1% in EAT (Earnings after Tax) compared to 2020. Most importantly, DIAS achieved 100% operational availability of its payment system for the first time in its 35-year long history, fulfilling its commitment for reliability and excellence.
  • Record Dividend: DIAS S.A. will distribute a dividend of €6,92 per share for the FY 2023, which corresponds to 81% of the company’s 2023 EAT. This is the largest dividend ever distributed by DIAS since it began paying dividends in 2002 and is nearly double the average regular dividend over the past 22 years.
  • Competitive performance in comparison to other payment means: The value of transactions settled by DIAS during the financial crisis period (2009-2020) increased at a Compact Annual Growth Rate - CAGR of 3,2%. However, during the 2021-2023 period, DIAS achieved an impressive CAGR of 15%. This growth rate approaches the impressive CAGR of card transactions in Greece, which were 14,3% during the financial crisis and 19% during the subsequent three years (COVID-19 pandemic period). This comparison highlights DIAS's strong development and significant contribution to the field of digital payments in Greece.
  • IRIS paves the instant payments path: DIAS processed 406 million transactions worth of €450 billion in 2023. Instant payments remain the company's fastest-growing product in 2024, with nearly 60% of interbank fund transfers being executed instantly, raising the IP ratio to 17% of all credit transfers, reaching the European average, compared to 2% in 2020. IRIS payments (IRIS P2P, IRIS P2B) lead the way, accounting for 68% of instant payments, with 80 times more transactions in January-May 2024 compared to the same 5-month period in 2020.
  • Environmental Sustainability: According to a recent study commissioned by the European Automated Clearing House Association (EACHA), the energy consumption per transaction for credit transfers, including Instant Payments (IP), is significantly lower compared to card, cash, and cryptocurrency transactions. Specifically, card transactions consume about three times more energy, cash transactions about 35 times more energy, and Bitcoin transactions an astonishing 282.085 times more energy than credit transfers. This highlights DIAS’s commitment to environmental sustainability, offering secure and efficient services while minimizing its environmental impact in a whole.
  • First-Time Appointments of Independent Non-Executive members to the BoD: DIAS will include two independent non-executive members on its Board of Directors (BoD). This move aims to further enhance Corporate Governance and bring additional knowledge, experience, and best practices to the company.

CEO’s Vision:

Stavroula Kampouridou, CEO of DIAS S.A., emphasized the company’s strategic focus on innovation, compliance, and sustainability. “Instant Payments are becoming the new normal, and DIAS is at the forefront of the specific transformation phase. Our role, as the Greek ACH, is crucial in adapting to the new regulatory requirements, along with our member banks, and leveraging Instant Payments to offer along with banks new, innovative services that will effectively transform the total consumer experience,” she stated.

Future Outlook:

Looking ahead, DIAS aims to process about 450 million transactions, valued at nearly half a trillion euros in 2024. The number of IRIS P2P users is anticipated to surpass 3 million this year. Additionally, by the end of 2024, DIAS plans to expand its Instant Payments offerings in order to include two more credit transfer products: RF/QR collections and IRIS commerce.

Commitment to Excellence:

Ms. Kampouridou concluded by expressing gratitude to the employees, shareholders, BoD and members of DIAS for their continuous support and dedication. “Our success is largely due to our employees, whom we consider our most valuable asset. Together, we will continue to drive further developments, strengthen our national economy, and ensure a better future for all.”

For more information read the Financial Annual Report 2023