Latin America

Ongoing trends continued to be seen in 2023, with the use of cash declining and the digital transformation of financial cards and payments markets in the region a major theme in Latin America. Be it the Pix instant payments system in Brazil or the…

Technological advances in 2024 will continue to reshape consumer behaviour. This annual report explores the top five digital shopper trends that will redefine commerce the most in the year ahead. Some of the trends included in this report’s edition…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries in Q4 2023 and 2024. Global inflation is moderating, although divergence remains among the key economies. Higher volatility in the energy markets and disruption of…

The utilisation of store cards is on a notable decline, largely due to a transition where most stores have opted to partner with major operators in the market, like Visa or Mastercard. As a result, prominent department stores have ceased issuing…

Store cards demonstrated sustained growth in transaction values even during the pandemic. According to the 2018 National Financial Inclusion Survey (ENIF) conducted by the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV), 61.5% (15.1 million) of…

Store cards are expected to continue their downward trajectory in 2023 in both transaction value and the number of cards in circulation. With consumers having more alternatives to choose from pre-paid, including credit or debit cards offering…

An intriguing metamorphosis is underway in the realm of store cards across Chile. Witnessing a downward trajectory, this transformation is driven by two pivotal factors, revolutionising the market and empowering consumers. First, the consumer…

In recent years, there has been a notable shift in consumer preference from store-specific cards to more versatile credit cards, allowing them to use a single card for all purchases. This shift has compelled store cards to transition into credit…

The use of pre-paid cards has shown consistent growth over the last two years, particularly experiencing a notable surge in 2022 as pandemic-related restrictions were lifted and activities returned to a semblance of normalcy. However, in 2023, this…

Pre-paid cards is a form of payment, whether in physical or digital format, that closely resembles conventional debit and credit cards. In 2023, pre-paid cards is set to experience a positive performance, largely thanks to the rise of e-commerce, and…

In 2023, the number of pre-paid cards in circulation is expected to grow steadily. Closed loop pre-paid cards, particularly transportation cards, will remain the most important. This growth is driven by increased mobility as hybrid work schemes lose…

The Payment Means Law in Chile has been a driving force behind the remarkable growth of pre-paid card transactions in the country. These financial cards have gained significant traction towards the end of the review period, with both banks and…

Open loop pre-paid cards initially gained significant traction, targeting individuals without a financial history to access traditional credit cards, particularly those in lower socioeconomic levels. However, the momentum of this segment has…

Financial cards and payments have indeed witnessed substantial growth in 2023. However, this growth has seen a notable slowdown due to consumers adopting a more cautious approach to spending. Factors contributing to this caution include the sluggish…

Financial cards and payments in Mexico in 2023 has been marked by growth, and adaptation to consumer needs. Post-pandemic economic recovery has been playing a pivotal role in boosting card usage and transaction volumes and values. This recovery,…

The use of debit cards continues to grow strongly in Colombia, supported by increased online purchases and cautious consumer behaviour. While credit card issuance remains stagnant, pre-paid cards, particularly closed loop transportation cards, are…

2023 has witnessed another marginal rebound in personal cash usage in Chile, despite a further decline in the overall value of this payment type. Cash usage tends to be higher among individuals over 60 years of age, those from lower socio-economic…

The credit card business has become less lucrative for banks, primarily serving as a means to entice customers to deposit their salaries into banking institutions. The prevalent monthly inflation in Argentina has soared to alarming levels. Banks face…

The momentum of debit card usage continues to surge in 2023, mirroring the trend seen in recent years and maintaining its steadfast trajectory since the onset of the pandemic. The issuance of debit cards has remained notably robust, showcasing the…

In 2023, debit cards is set to experience robust double-digit growth in volume and value transactions. Moreover, in 2023 it is expected to achieve full recovery, surpassing the performance observed in 2019, in terms of the number of cards in…

The use of debit cards continues to grow and they remain the most important payment method behind cash. Further robust growth is expected in 2023 both in the number of cards in circulation and value of transactions. The performance of debit cards has…

The latest “National Survey on Cash Usage and Preferences” from Chile’s Central Bank reveals intriguing shifts in payment preferences post-pandemic. In 2022, despite another decline in value, the number of personal cash transactions rebounded to…

The high inflation rate in Argentina has led to a significant increase in the use of debit cards. The government has refrained from printing higher denomination bills, and the highest available denomination is ARS2000, roughly equivalent to USD8 at…

The landscape of credit cards in 2023 exhibits a dynamic where growth, while still apparent, has tapered in comparison to preceding years. This slowdown is a result of heightened prudence exercised by users, stemming from their concern over the…

The number of credit cards in circulation is set to witness remarkable double-digit growth in 2023, accompanied by even stronger surges in transaction volumes and values when compared with the previous year. These impressive performances not only…

In 2023, the issuance of credit cards is expected to remain almost flat, with no significant increase. Growth rates for the number and value of transactions are also expected to decelerate compared to the previous year. The value of transactions,…

Credit cards in Chile are undergoing a fascinating transformation, driven by the increasing digitalisation of consumer finance. A surge in digital transactions, including via credit and debit card operations, has led to a significant shift towards…

Banks in Argentina are grappling with a complex situation as the promotion of credit cards has become less lucrative. The regulated interest rates imposed by the Central Bank have limited the profitability of offering credit cards. Both the interest…

Consumer lending has sustained notable growth in 2023, albeit at a more tempered pace compared to the robust expansions witnessed in the preceding years. This growth encompasses both the outstanding balance and gross lending, surpassing pre-pandemic…

The consumer lending landscape in Mexico is expected to continue to display growth in both gross lending and the outstanding balance in 2023. 2023 is proving to be particularly favourable for the growth and expansion of fintech companies, which…

The Colombian economy felt the effects of a slowdown in the first semester of 2023 due to a restrictive monetary policy, compounded by a significant increase in interest rates at the end of 2022. This caused credit card interest rates to rise above…

Chile's economy faces challenges as bank credit declined in 2022, the most negative annual variation in 30 years. The economic slowdown stems from a gradual adjustment to previous macroeconomic imbalances, with range projections of -0.5%-0.25% in…

The credit market in Argentina remains highly restricted, primarily constrained to personal loans. The funds that banks receive from their clients are predominantly funnelled into a financial instrument called Leliq, which offers a lucrative…

Consumer credit has continued to witness robust growth in 2023, albeit at a moderated pace compared to the preceding two years. This growth encompasses both outstanding balances and gross lending, having already rebounded to pre-pandemic levels in…

Consumer credit is set to show continued consistent robust growth in gross lending in 2023, driven by improving employment and business performance, and wages that continue to recover in the wake of the pandemic. However, growth will encounter…

In the early months of 2023, a challenging macroeconomic climate, coupled with low consumer confidence, high interest rates to curb demand and soaring inflation, as well as political uncertainty, resulted in a marked deceleration in the issuance of…

Historically, when a consumer applied for a bank loan, the commitment was typically honoured until the debt was fully repaid because the process of making a change was costly and time-consuming. In 2020, Chile introduced the Financial Portability Law…

While the Buy Now, Pay Later mechanism is still in its early stages in the country, new companies are emerging with innovative models, such as GOcuotas. Despite being relatively small, GOcuotas is experiencing remarkable growth, boasting an annual…

Charge cards, which is predominantly represented by American Express, is expected to experience a remarkable resurgence in 2023. In this year charge cards is expected to rebound to around the pre-pandemic levels of usage and card issuance. This…

Charge cards represent a diminishing segment within the payment industry, primarily due to their inability to provide financing options. Consumers increasingly favour credit cards over charge cards when making purchases, further contributing to the…

One notable historical factor contributing to the popularity of store cards in Brazil is the ease of acquisition. Typically, consumers can swiftly register for a store card in-store, a process often completed in five minutes or less. This…

Local consumers increasingly seek the ability to utilise pre-paid cards in digital domains, spanning online shopping, food delivery services, and ride-hailing platforms. Brazilians also aspire to utilise pre-paid cards in diverse contexts, including…

In 2023, Brazil's finance industry is undergoing rapid transformations driven by an expanding banked population, digitalisation, and advancements in open finance. Concurrently, consumers are increasingly turning to credit in the face of adverse…

Debit cards in Brazil have enjoyed continuous growth as an increasing number of Brazilians shift away from traditional paper-based payment methods such as cash and cheques. This transition is driven by the ongoing digitisation of financial services…

While in Brazil, the number of debit cards in circulation still surpasses that of credit cards, the latter is experiencing a more rapid growth trajectory. This surge in credit card usage is fuelled by the increasing digitisation of financial services…

Brazilians are well-acquainted with dividing payments into instalments, a practice prevalent in both traditional retail credit (known as "crediário") and credit card payments. The compounding effects of inflation, a challenging job market, and…

In June 2023, the percentage of households carrying outstanding debts in Brazil rose by a 0.2 percentage point, reaching a total of 78.5%, the highest level since November 2022. Among these households, 18.5% considered themselves heavily burdened…

When presented with a choice between a credit card and a card offering credit card-like functionality but without revolving credit, most Brazilians opt for the former. This inclination is rooted in a fundamental factor hindering charge cards from…

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…

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…