Statistics of Payment Cards Issued in Hong Kong for Second Quarter 2026

Publication and Scope of Reporting

On Fri, 18 Sep, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority ("'HKMA'") published its quarterly statistics on payment cards issued in Hong Kong for the second quarter of 2026. The reported data encompasses credit and debit card activity under the schemes operated by eight (8) recognized payment card scheme operators within the territory. It is noted that the HKMA has undertaken this publication obligation on a quarterly basis since June 2010, in accordance with international regulatory practice aimed at enhancing transparency across the Hong Kong payment card industry.

Credit Card Circulation

As of the close of Q2/2026, the aggregate number of credit cards in circulation stood at 31.03 million units, representing a quarter-on-quarter increase of 6.3% and a year-on-year growth of 36.1%. It is noted that each credit card issued in Hong Kong bears only one brand designation. The total count refers solely to cards carrying a credit function under the applicable schemes; EPSCO and JETCO are excluded from this tally as neither operates a credit card scheme. Certain credit cards additionally incorporate debit functionality for purposes of direct-debit purchases or ATM cash withdrawals via bank account debiting.

Credit Card Transaction Activity

For Q2/2026, total credit card transactions (encompassing retail sales and cash advances) amounted to 403.94 million in volume, reflecting a quarter-on-quarter increase of 4.9% and a year-on-year growth of 12.2%. The aggregate transaction value reached HK$286.5 billion, representing an 8.0% decline on a quarterly basis but a 6.8% increase compared to the corresponding period in 2025. A breakdown by category is as follows: retail spending within Hong Kong accounted for HK$186.7 billion (constituting 65.2% of total value); overseas retail spending comprised HK$91.1 billion (31.8%); and cash advances represented HK$8.8 billion (3.1%). It is acknowledged that credit card transaction volumes are susceptible to seasonal factors and prevailing economic conditions.

Debit Card Transaction Data

The total number of debit cards in circulation cannot be reliably ascertained owing to the presence of overlapping brand designations on individual physical cards. In terms of activity, Q2/2026 recorded a total of 55.39 million debit card transactions for retail sales and bills payments, representing a quarter-on-quarter increase of 5.2%. The corresponding transaction value declined by 13.6% to HK$61.1 billion on a quarterly basis. On an annual comparison with Q2/2025, the total number of transactions decreased by 4.3%, while the aggregate value fell by 8.0%. Debit card transactions are defined as those effectuated through direct debiting from cardholders' bank accounts.

Methodological Notes and Scope

The statistics presented herein have been compiled from data furnished by both authorized institutions ("'AIs'") and non-authorized institutions ('non-AIs'). Commencing March 2015, a geographic breakdown of credit card retail sales transactions distinguishing between Hong Kong domestic spending and overseas expenditure has been provided. It is important to note that certain operators do not maintain a debit card scheme; accordingly, care must be exercised when aggregating credit and debit retail figures in order to avoid the risk of double counting.

Participating Scheme Operators

The eight (8) payment card scheme operators whose data are encompassed within these statistics, listed in alphabetical order, are as follows: 1. American Express International, Inc. 2. Discover Financial Services (Hong Kong) Limited 3. EPS Company (Hong Kong) Limited ("'EPSCO'") 4. JCB International (Asia) Ltd 5. Joint Electronic Teller Services Ltd. ("'JETCO'") 6. MasterCard Asia/Pacific Pte. Ltd. 7. UnionPay International Co. Ltd 8. Visa Worldwide Pte. Limited