A smart card terminal (910, 920, 930, 940) receives a first smart card and deducts value from the smart card. The value to be deducted is determined by a smart card holder and is relayed to a smart card terminal (910, 920, 930, 940) via a user interface on the smart card terminal. If a single slot smart card terminal is utilized for a transfer between smart cards, then the terminal deducts the value from the first smart card that is then removed from the slot. The transaction is completed when a second smart card is inserted into the slot and the value deducted from the first card is written onto the second card. If a multiple slot smart card terminal is utilized then the first smart card is inserted into a first slot and the second smart card is inserted into a second slot. A user interface guides the smart card holder(s) through the process of deducting value from the first smart card and writing it onto the second smart card. Long distance or remote transfers of value between smart cards can also be performed. A remote transfer implies two smart card terminals communicating with one another. Such communication can be telephone based or computer based and can utilize telephone networks 950 or computer data networks 960 . Smart card transfers can also be effected in a non-real-time basis meaning a first smart card can have value deducted and stored in a data network smart card server 970 for later retrieval by a second smart card.