Asia Pacific

In 2023, the debit cards category has again experienced positive growth in both volume and value transactions, as it did in the previous year. The increase in people’s mobility following the lifting of restrictions imposed to limit the spread of…

Since the reopening of borders in the fourth quarter of 2022, there has been a surge in enthusiasm among Hong Kong’s population to travel abroad after enduring three years of the pandemic. Residents are now showing a strong and sustained interest in…

Credit cards are also benefitting from the ongoing government and finance industry efforts to promote a cashless payment society. As such, we are seeing a robust performance in credit cards in 2023, thanks to a growing awareness among consumers about…

At the close of 2022, Taiwan witnessed a significant reshuffle in its credit card issuance landscape. The top five credit card issuers, ranked by the number of active cards, were Cathay United Bank with 5.77 million, CITIC Bank with 5.34 million, E…

Credit card is the leading cashless payment method in Japan, and is still responsible for the predominant share of cashless payment transaction volumes and value. Other digital payment instruments are also gaining popularity, but credit cards remain…

In 2023, the credit cards category is again showing positive growth in all terms, cards circulation as well as volume and value transactions, as it did in the previous year. Credit card spending has recovered across categories. Holidays and the end…

Since the reopening of borders in the fourth quarter of 2022, there has been a surge in enthusiasm among Hong Kong locals to travel abroad after enduring three years of the pandemic. Residents are now showing a strong and sustained interest in…

In 2023, the State Bank of Vietnam implemented measures to promote consumer lending for daily needs. To encourage banks to increase their lending activities, including consumer lending, the State Bank issued Circular No. 06/2023/TT-NHNN on 28 June…

At the beginning of 2023, the industry anticipated a surge in consumer lending demand as Filipinos resumed spending as the country emerged out of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. A substantial share of consumers also resorted to loans to manage…

Thailand consumer lending remains robust in 2023, with double-digit growth rates in gross lending as the category continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The rise in private consumption and the revival in tourism has led to an upturn in…

In 2023, the total credit amount in Taiwan surged over the previous year. This figure has doubled since pre-pandemic levels at the end of 2019. Taiwan's financial landscape boasts a multitude of institutions holding significant liquid funds.…

Consumer lending in Singapore is exhibiting positive growth in 2023, displaying a robust recovery from the pandemic's impact since 2022. Notably, card lending has emerged as a significant driver of growth in overall consumer lending, coinciding with…

Towards the end of the review period, many local consumers took out personal loans to cope with higher financial burdens. Malaysian banks have offered personal loans with more flexible repayment plans and more appealing terms when required. The…

The consumer lending category has experienced another strong performance in Indonesia in 2023. Gross lending has shown further positive growth during the year, along similar lines to 2022. Improving economic conditions as a result of people's…

Consumer lending in Hong Kong is experiencing a spike in growth as the economy recovers from the impact of the pandemic, with 14% growth in gross lending primarily driven by card lending. The reopening of borders in the fourth quarter of 2022 has…

The biggest story in consumer lending in 2023 is the issuing of the new Circular by the State Bank of Vietnam, to promote consumer lending for daily needs. To encourage banks to increase their lending activities, including consumer lending, the State…

Towards the end of the review period consumer loans has shown continuous current value growth. In 2023, current value growth is being driven by credit cards and various personal lending options, particularly salary-based general purpose loans.…

Thailand’s economic performance in 2023 is improving as the pandemic effects subside and private consumption rebounds. Other positive factors include the surge in Thai and foreign travellers, as well as improvements in the service sector, which is…

The government's relaxation of control measures on digital banks has paved the way for a broadened range of financial services offered by pure digital banks. Although the impact on traditional banks and digital wallet operators remains relatively…

Following the pandemic, card lending, contributing to over 60% of consumer credit gross lending in Singapore, has witnessed significant growth, largely propelled by the enduring trend of revenge travel. The resumption of travel and tourism activities…

In 2021 and 2022, many local consumers used personal loans when faced with unplanned expenses or a personal financial emergency. Malaysian banks were very active in offering personal loans to individuals, providing flexible repayments and offering…

Consumer credit gross lending has experienced further strong growth in 2023, along similar lines to the previous year. The main factor behind this growth has been the improvement in economic conditions as a result of increased community mobility…

Since the reopening of borders in the fourth quarter of 2022, there has been a significant increase in the desire of Hong Kong residents to travel abroad, following three years of pandemic-induced restrictions. Throughout 2023, there has been a…

Despite being historically less popular in Taiwan due to limited merchant acceptance compared to VISA, MasterCard, and JCB, American Express (AMEX) is making significant strides in the market. The key to its success lies in the exclusive benefits and…

In 2023, the charge cards category has experienced positive growth, both in terms of volume and value transactions. Similarly to the previous year, growth has largely been driven by the revival of normal social and economic activity in the wake of…

There has been a decline in the number of high net worth individuals (HNWI) in Hong Kong since 2020. In response, charge card operators such as American Express and Diners Club are determined to customise their latest offers to better cater for this…

EZ-link, the leading open-looped pre-paid card in Singapore, has significantly benefited from the resumption of regional travel. Not only has EZ-link gained traction among tourists visiting Singapore, who find it a convenient payment solution for…

As of July 2023, 10 pre-paid card issuers had had their payment clearing license revoked, according to PBOC (People’s Bank of China). In fact, the majority of these issuers voluntarily cancelled their licenses, affected by stringent government…

The financial cards and payments landscape in Singapore has experienced notable transformations as the nation progresses towards its goal of becoming a cashless society. This evolution has been primarily driven by the rise of digitalisation,…

Financial cards and payments in China is set to see a rebound in 2023, following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Consumers have taken the reopening of society as an opportunity to increase their discretionary spending, particularly in the areas…

The consistent growth of debit cards in Singapore can be attributed to the ongoing enhancement of benefits provided to debit cardholders. In the past, debit card offerings and associated benefits were generally outpaced by those offered by credit…

In 2023, debit card spending is expected to see year-on-year growth both in terms of payment transactions and payment values, derived from pent-up demand over the last three years, which has been released in this year. Many consumers have taken the…

Credit card transactions in Singapore have sustained considerable growth in both total retail value and transaction volume, owing to the resurgence of the travel industry in Asia Pacific. This revival of travel has become the key growth driver for…

The number of credit cards in circulation and credit card current value transactions are expected to increase in 2023, mainly driven by further improvements in mobility and economic conditions after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted at the end of…

Consumer lending in Japan is growing in 2023 in line with demand for greater convenience and easy access to lending services, mainly due to more services being accessed online. New emerging players, such as LINE Pocket Money by LINE Credit…

Demand for consumer lending is set to see a moderate rebound in 2023, as the pandemic has eased, and consumer spending has returned, especially on services and in other discretionary categories. However, growth in consumer lending in China is…

Japan currently does not have any law restrictions surrounding Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) and thus the benefits, such as convenience, flexibility, and especially no credit checks, are gradually being understood by a wider consumer base. These benefits…

Consumer credit is set to see a moderate rebound in 2023, following subdued demand in 2022, affected by the pandemic. The pick-up in consumer credit growth has largely been due to rises in home and card lending, reflecting some improvement in…

Charge card transactions have demonstrated a consistent upward trajectory in terms of transaction volume and retail value in 2023, coinciding with the resurgence of travel activities in Southeast Asia as pandemic-related restrictions have been…

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…

Rising costs of living pose challenges globally, but companies can find opportunities in several categories, essential and discretionary, especially in underpenetrated fast-growing markets. By considering category adjacencies and focusing on value,…

In the upcoming years, consumers and businesses face an array of challenges, with rising income inequality being among the key ones. Nevertheless, addressing the income inequality through catering to the Bottom of the Pyramid and the Middle Class…

Businesses globally face challenges in consumer markets in the short to medium term, owing to the rising cost of living and increasingly financially cautious consumers. Amidst uncertainty arise opportunities. Income and expenditure insights are…

From a product perspective, embedded payment market competition has been intensified with digital players, which are challenging the card operators. For deposit and lending, leading banks such as Goldman Sachs and CIMB have made their names in the…

The Asian consumer is changing. Traditional values that served the collective in terms of both society and the family are on the wane, with COVID-19 lockdowns accelerating a new focus on individualism and the self. This report explores how Asian…

Global consumers are struggling with the cost of living crisis, as inflation remains high while household income growth lags. Consumers are adopting recessionary habits, such as trading down and being more selective in their spending. Rather than…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries. In 2023, global inflation is expected to ease from its peak in 2022, but remaining significantly above-trend. Geopolitical risks and uncertainty in the energy market are…

Now in its seventh edition, this report explores the top digital shopper trends that will redefine commerce the most in the year ahead. Some of the trends included in this edition touch on topics such as second-hand shopping, community group buying,…

Consumer mobility is evolving as urbanisation, sustainability and growing technological savviness are driving demand for travel supported by dynamic payment solutions. Euromonitor International introduces the Digital Payments in Mobility Index to…

Store cards have a negligible presence in Vietnam with there being little interest or awareness of these card products. Furthermore, the government strictly controls the supply of credit in Vietnam which makes it a complicated and lengthy process to…