Market research on the consumer finance industry. Our reports fea...
Market research on the consumer finance industry. Our reports feature standardised and cross-comparable statistics including total market sizes, market share and brand share data, distribution and industry trends.
After a robust rise in 2022, credit cards continues to enjoy positive growth in 2023, boosted by local consumers’ increasing expenditure and higher levels of penetration. However, and in contrast to 2022, in 2023 credit cards is seeing slower growth…
The buy now, pay later (BNPL) trend has taken hold in Spain, particularly among younger consumers, and is rapidly gaining share in Spain. Consumers choose BNPL for a variety of reasons, including the lower APR (in most cases 0%, as opposed to 18% for…
Debit cards is on the rise in 2023, boosted by growing expenditure levels. Despite downward pressure on consumer purchasing power, Portuguese people have continued to increase their expenditure levels in 2023 as a result of rising inflation rates and…
Banks in Spain are changing their business strategy, resulting in a decline in the number of debit cards issued in 2023. Whilst customers previously had access to a free debit card if they had other banking products and services, including mortgages…
Global cross-border transaction market is projected to exceed USD40 trillion in 2028, largely driven by trading. Fast, low cost and secure became the three key service requirements of embedded cross-border transaction solutions, while local…
Portuguese consumers continue to shift towards electronic payment instruments (payment cards, electronic direct or ACH transactions), with cards being the most used electronic payment instrument in everyday life. The trend of replacing cash with card…
The Spanish economy has performed better than anticipated in 2023, despite the challenges posed by high energy costs and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, with consumption continuing to recover to 2019 levels, boosted by the recovery of travel…
Boosted by the recovery of transportation cards, which had suffered severely during the COVID-19 pandemic, closed loop cards is seeing double-digit growth in 2023. Otlis, Lisbon’s transportation system cards, leads in terms of number of cards in…
Closed loop pre-paid cards remain dominant in Spain, accounting for around four-fifths of transactions by value. Indeed, closed loop pre-paid cards issued by the public transportation systems in Madrid and Bilbao (Consorcio Transporte Madrid and…
With the economy reopened post pandemic and consumers returning to store-based outlets, store cards is again enjoying positive growth. In 2023, the category’s growth is boosted by rising consumers’ expenditure levels and high inflation rates.…
Store cards account for a relatively small share of card payment transactions in Spain compared to credit, charge and particularly debit cards, as many local consumers are not well informed about the rewards and credit possibilities that store cards…
Demand for consumer credit gross lending is set to continue to increase in 2023, despite the South African Reserve Bank’s consecutive rises in interest rates to stabilise inflationary pressures. This trend has been driven mainly by declining…
The South African economy has continued to struggle in 2023, as reflected by 0.4% real GDP growth, the unemployment rate stagnating beyond 32%, and the South African rand depreciating further against major currencies. Economic growth has also been…
Following the significant decline in transaction value and volumes experienced in 2020 due to extended restrictions imposed in the South African travel and hospitality industries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the complete lifting of the state…
As more middle-income households are struggling to reach month-end, due to the combined effects of rising interest rates, which have put pressure on existing vehicle and mortgage loans, as well as inflationary pressures, which have affected…
The prices of essential goods and services such as food and electricity have continued to rise in 2023, despite the relatively lower level of inflation, which moved from 7.0% in 2022 to 5.7% in 2023. Debit card value transactions benefited from this…
The number of financial cards in circulation is set to continue to increase in 2023, supported by a steady rise in the banked population and the intensified competition between issuers. Meanwhile, value transactions across categories such as debit…
As mobility has normalised in 2023, following restrictions imposed during the pandemic, demand for pre-paid cards for the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system has benefited from households resuming activities such as work and school. Growth in…
Store cards is set to witness growth in volume and value transactions in 2023, supported by cash-strapped consumers, notably lower- to middle-income consumers. This trend has been consolidated by the rising cost of living, which continues to affect…
Charge cards is expected to continue to see double-digit declines in 2023 in terms of cards in circulation, and volume and value transactions. Historically, charge cards were primarily associated with business use, as the majority of transactions,…