The number of debit, credit and prepaid cards in Bangladesh nearly doubled in five years, while the total transaction value through these cards more than doubled, reflecting growing adoption of electronic payments in the country.
According to a Bangladesh Bank (BB) report titled "An Overview of Card Usage Patterns Within and Outside Bangladesh", the number of payment cards issued in Bangladesh increased by 96 percent in five years to 52.95 million in August 2026 from 27.01 million in September 2021.
The total value of transactions through payment cards also more than doubled during the period, rising by 103 percent to Tk 497,697 million in August 2026 from Tk 245,609 million in September 2021.
The report, prepared by the Big Data Analytics and Data Science (BDADS) Unit of the central bank's Statistics Department, highlights the growing role of debit, credit and prepaid cards in the country's payment system.
Prepaid cards recorded the highest growth among the three categories, increasing by 803 percent to 9.27 million in August 2026 from around 1.03 million in September 2021.
The number of debit cards rose by 69 percent to 40.88 million from 24.23 million, while credit cards increased by 59 percent to 2.81 million from 1.76 million over the same period.
The figures indicate that debit cards continue to dominate the market, while prepaid cards are gaining popularity as an alternative payment instrument.
Bangladesh Bank data showed that 56 of the country's 61 scheduled banks and one non-bank financial institution were providing card services.
A total of 48 institutions, including 47 scheduled banks and one non-bank financial institution, offered products such as credit cards, dual-currency debit cards and foreign-currency prepaid cards.
In the credit card segment, the total sanctioned credit limit reached Tk 431.08 billion in August 2026, while outstanding credit stood at Tk 144.82 billion.
Domestic credit card transactions amounted to Tk 40,893 million in August 2026, down 5.44 percent from Tk 43,248 million in July. However, the transaction value increased by 30.03 percent year-on-year compared with August 2025.
Merchant purchases accounted for Tk 38,180 million, or 93.37 percent, of domestic credit card transactions during the month. Cash withdrawals amounted to Tk 2,629 million, while fund transfers accounted for Tk 84 million.
Department stores accounted for the largest share of domestic credit card spending at Tk 19,686 million, representing 48.14 percent of the total.
Retail outlet services accounted for Tk 5,183 million, followed by utility bill payments at Tk 4,416 million, drug stores and pharmacies at Tk 2,838 million, and clothing stores at Tk 1,963 million.
The figures show that retail purchases and utility payments remain important areas of credit card usage in the country.
Bangladesh Bank data also showed a significant difference between spending by Bangladeshi card holders abroad and spending by foreign cardholders in Bangladesh.
Bangladeshi cardholders spent Tk 9.87 billion, equivalent to US$80.15 million, outside the country in August 2026 through different types of cards.
In contrast, foreign cardholders spent Tk 2.49 billion, or US$20.22 million, in Bangladesh during the month. Outward card spending was therefore nearly four times the amount spent by foreign cardholders in the country.
Bangladeshi credit cardholders made overseas transactions worth Tk 5,046 million through 823,150 transactions. Department stores accounted for 30.29 percent of the spending, followed by retail outlet services at 17.89 percent.
The United States was the leading destination for overseas credit card spending, accounting for 17.16 percent of the total, followed by Thailand at 10.86 percent and the United Kingdom at 9.75 percent.
Overseas debit card transactions amounted to Tk 4,221 million through 857,320 transactions, while prepaid card spending abroad stood at Tk 601 million through 135,883 transactions.
Foreign card spending in Bangladesh increased by 34.66 percent year-on-year in August 2026.
Department stores accounted for 35.25 percent of spending by foreign cardholders, while cash withdrawals represented 23.76 percent and transportation services 12.99 percent.
Cards issued in the United States accounted for the largest share of foreign card spending in Bangladesh at 21.29 percent, followed by the United Kingdom at 10.81 percent and India at 8.61 percent.
The expansion of card issuance and transaction volumes reflects the increasing importance of electronic payment instruments in Bangladesh's financial system.
The rapid growth of prepaid cards could help broaden access to digital payments, while wider acceptance of cards by merchants and service providers could further facilitate electronic transactions.
The Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2024, which came into effect on November 4, 2024, provides a legal framework for payment and settlement activities in the country.
The Bangladesh Bank report provides an overview of the growth of card-based payments, consumer spending patterns and cross-border transactions, offering useful information for financial institutions and policymakers working to expand digital payment services.