I was a big supporter of the fact that trees can be planted with all cards and so I am really happy with the latest update! Thanks bunq.
Why?
Because it is only now that I can take full advantage of my various accounts and cards again. Budgeting is finally automated and convenient again, without always having to intervene manually either before the green card payment or afterwards. The comfort is back, great.
In addition, in Germany there is still the problem that my GreenCard is not accepted and that my Maestro card must be used instead (top up my parking card, top up my card for the canteen, my preferred clothing store ...). Now I can also plant trees with these payments, with Maestro, great.
The problem with Maestro payments is much bigger in the Netherlands. So more trees will surely be planted for all users if all cards, especially Maestro, count.
What about now that only 1 tree per 100 € is planted instead of 2 for premium users?
Yes, I'm completely satisfied with that too! It is clearly understandable and comprehensible for anyone who thinks a little bit about why the reduction inevitably had to be that way. Bunq pays our trees out of the interchange fee that bunq receives for each of our card payments.
The interchange fee for credit card payments is higher than that for debit cards. For the payment of € 100 with the GreenCard, a credit card, the calculation was possible for bunq, to cover the own costs, to make a small profit and to pay for 2 trees at Eden Projects. For the much lower income from € 100 of our payment with a debit card, especially Maestro, the calculation is no longer enough for 2 trees.
And yes, bunq can and must also make a profit. Employees want to be paid fairly and of course bunq should survive economically as a company. So it is clear that if all cards, including Mastercard Debit and Maestro, count, then the calculation with 2 trees per € 100 is no longer correct and must be adjusted.
Against this background, it is acceptable for me that I now only get 1 tree per 100 €, but that I enjoy an insane comfort in budgeting and no longer have to worry about not planting any trees when I am forced to use my Maestro Card.
