Consumer Finance

Financial cards and payments in Malaysia in 2023 exhibited significant continuation with 2022 in terms of the direction of travel in the post-Coronavirus (COVID-19) period. The strong moves towards a cashless society in Malaysia, pushed by the…

Debit cards in the Philippines have largely been known and treated as ATM cards only. Prior to the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19), the use of debit cards was primarily for making cash withdrawals. This was because most people were either unaware…

The adoption of digital payments in Thailand is growing, backed by the central bank policy to shift towards a less cash-reliant society which is free of charge transactions. The banking industry has launched cardless withdrawals to bring greater…

Wider acceptance is boosting the use of personal debit cards in Malaysia. The rising popularity of personal debit cards underpins the growth in the number of cards and volume and value transactions. The increased numbers of POS terminals is widening…

According to the Credit Card Association of the Philippines (CCAP), the Q1 2023 growth rate in credit cards, the highest since the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020, reflects local consumers’ resurgence in terms of shopping,…

Thai consumers have been spending more on credit cards in 2023 in line with an increase in the consumer confidence index and a marked improvement in the Thai economy. Expenditure on various products and services, including shopping, restaurants,…

The resumption of daily routines as the country emerges out of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has sparked spending on both personal and commercial credit cards. In 2023, the number of commercial credit cards in circulation is rebounding, following…

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the charge card category declined significantly due to restrictions on all activities such as traveling, dining and entertainment, which impacted normal patterns of expenditure. In the post-pandemic era, consumers have…

Charge cards continue to struggle to appeal widely, and consumer demand is set to remain relatively low at the end of the review period. This situation is confirmed by the limited supply of charge cards from banking institutions in Malaysia. Indeed,…

Store cards are often referred to as “Gaisho cards” in Japan. Gaisho is a department most often found in department stores, positioned somewhat like direct selling. Gaisho are elite staff members with high levels of skill and experience, and these…

The performance of pre-paid cards is supported by the growth of e-commerce – notably since the era of the pandemic. In fact, prior to 2020, transaction numbers in pre-paid cards were showing a negative performance, in sharp contrast to what is seen…

Despite the rise of digital wallets, physical credit cards and pre-paid cards still play a significant role in payments. Notably, digital wallets often cannot link to popular pre-paid cards like EasyCard, the largest transportation card in Taiwan,…

In the review period, pre-paid cards showed progression to online (mobile, smart watch, etc...) payment, especially within transportation pre-paid cards such as Suica and PASMO cards. More people opted to use smartphone app versions of pre-paid cards…

The pre-paid cards category has continued its strong performance in 2023, with the category seeing positive growth in terms of both volume and value transactions, as in the previous year. Pre-paid cards has been particularly impacted by the revival…

Octopus has established itself as the most widely used and popular open loop pre-paid card in Hong Kong, offering a myriad of convenient features and services. Recognising the growing interest among local residents to explore the mainland during…

2023 is witnessing a substantial increase in both the volume and value of financial cards overall, primarily driven by government initiatives aimed at encouraging cashless payments. Debit cards, credit cards, and pre-paid cards are all seeing healthy…

In 2023, electronic and mobile payments have taken centre stage, greatly reducing reliance on cash transactions in Taiwan. Local residents have enthusiastically adopted various digital payment options, particularly digital wallets, which have emerged…

Japan’s transition to a cashless society has been accelerating in 2023. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) developed the “Cashless Vision” in 2018, aiming to increase the cashless payment ratio to 40% by 2025. Due to COVID-19,…

Electronic payment has been the fastest growing mode of payment in Indonesia in 2023. The very high use of digital wallets, QRIS (Quick Response Code Indonesia Standard - a QR code standard developed by Bank Indonesia and Indonesian Payment System…

Total card transactions in Hong Kong, along with electronic direct/ACH transactions and mobile payments, are recording double-digit growth rates in 2023 as consumption recovers from the pandemic. This is mainly being driven by overseas consumption…