Hong Kong Payment Card Statistics Q4 2025

HKMA Press Releases

Published March 20th, 2026

Detected March 20th, 2026

Summary

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has released payment card statistics for Q4 2025. The data shows a significant increase in credit card circulation and transactions compared to the previous year, with retail spending in Hong Kong and overseas being the primary drivers. Debit card transaction data also showed mixed trends.

View original document View source feed page

What changed

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has published its payment card statistics for the fourth quarter of 2025. This notice provides updated figures on credit and debit cards issued in Hong Kong by eight major payment card operators. The statistics detail the number of credit cards in circulation, which saw a 15.6% increase from the previous quarter and a 38.4% increase year-over-year, reaching 28.99 million by the end of Q4 2025. Total credit card transactions, including retail sales and cash advances, also increased, with a total value of HK$311.6 billion for the quarter.

While the total number of debit cards in circulation is not available due to overlapping functions, debit card transactions related to retail sales and bill payments increased by 2.7% in number and 11.0% in value compared to the previous quarter. However, year-over-year comparisons showed a decrease in debit card transaction numbers and values. These statistics are published to enhance transparency in the payment card industry, in line with international practices. No specific compliance actions are required as this is a statistical release.

Source document (simplified)

Statistics of Payment Cards Issued in Hong Kong for Fourth Quarter 2025

Press Releases

20 Mar 2026

Statistics of Payment Cards Issued in Hong Kong for Fourth Quarter 2025

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) published today statistics of payment cards issued in Hong Kong for the fourth quarter of 2025.

The payment card statistics (see Annex) include quarterly data on credit and debit cards issued in Hong Kong under the credit and/or debit card schemes of the eight payment card scheme operators (Note 1). The HKMA began to publish the payment card statistics on a quarterly basis in June 2010 to enhance transparency of the payment card industry in Hong Kong, in line with international practice.

According to the quarterly statistics, the total number of credit cards in circulation (Note 2) was 28.99 million by the end of Q4/2025. The figure represents a 15.6% increase from the previous quarter and a 38.4% increase from the previous year. The number and value of credit card transactions (including retail sales and cash advances) (Note 3) are susceptible to seasonal factors and the general economic environment, making the trends more prone to fluctuation. The total number of credit card transactions was 393.96 million for Q4/2025, representing a 3.0% increase from the previous quarter and a 16.1% increase from the same period in 2024. The total value of credit card transactions was HK$311.6 billion for Q4/2025, representing a 9.1% increase from the previous quarter and a 14.8% increase from the same period in 2024. Of the total transaction value, HK$201.6 billion (64.7%) was related to retail spending in Hong Kong, HK$100.3 billion (32.2%) in retail spending overseas and HK$9.6 billion (3.1%) in cash advances.

The total number of debit cards in circulation is not available due to overlapping of debit card brands in a single card. Like the number and value of credit card transactions, the number and value of debit card transactions in relation to retail sales and bills payments (Note 4) are also affected by seasonal factors. On a quarterly basis, the total number of debit card transactions in relation to retail sales and bills payments increased by 2.7% to 53.7 million while the total value increased by 11.0% to HK$69.6 billion in Q4/2025. When compared to the same period in 2024, the total number decreased by 3.2% and the total value dropped by 4.6% in Q4/2025.

Hong Kong Monetary Authority
20 March 2026

Notes:

The payment card statistics are compiled from data on credit and debit cards issued in Hong Kong by both authorized institutions (AIs) and non-authorized institutions (non-AIs) under the credit and/or debit card schemes of the eight payment card scheme operators (“the card operators”). The card operators, in alphabetical order, are American Express International, Inc., Discover Financial Services (Hong Kong) Limited, EPS Company (Hong Kong) Limited (EPSCO), JCB International (Asia) Ltd, Joint Electronic Teller Services Ltd. (JETCO), MasterCard Asia/Pacific Pte. Ltd., UnionPay International Co. Ltd and Visa Worldwide Pte. Limited.
A credit card issued in Hong Kong only carries one credit card brand. The total number of credit cards in circulation refers to the total number of credit cards (i.e. cards with a credit function) issued in Hong Kong under the credit card schemes of card operators (but excluding EPSCO and JETCO, which do not operate a credit card scheme). Some of these credit cards carry debit card functions, i.e. the credit card can be used for making purchases/payments or cash withdrawal at ATMs through directly debiting cardholders’ bank accounts.
The total number/value of credit card transactions refer to the total number/value of transactions made via credit card accounts of credit cards issued in Hong Kong under the credit card schemes of card operators (excluding EPSCO and JETCO). Starting from March 2015, a Hong Kong/overseas spending breakdown of credit card retail sales transactions is provided.
The total number/value of debit card transactions in relation to retail sales/bill payments refers to the total number/value of those transactions made via debiting cardholders’ bank accounts. Some of the eight card operators do not operate a debit card scheme. Care should be exercised in combining the credit card retail sales figures and the debit card retail sales/bills payment figures because of the possibility of double counting. Latest Press Releases
20 Mar 2026 Scam alert related to banks
20 Mar 2026 Statistics of Payment Cards Issued in Hong Kong for Fourth Quarter 2025
20 Mar 2026 Statistics of Stored Value Facilities (SVF) Schemes Issued by SVF Licensees
19 Mar 2026 Scam alert related to banks
19 Mar 2026 HKMA’s Response to US Fed’s Interest Rate Decision View All View All Last revision date : 20 March 2026 Share