Card spending jumps more than 7 percent in first half of year

Credit card spending increased by more than 7 percent in the first half of 2026 from a year earlier, central bank data showed Tuesday.

According to the Bank of Korea (BOK), the daily average credit card spending stood at 3.8 trillion won ($2.8 billion) in the January-June period, up 7.6 percent from 3.5 trillion won a year earlier.

Daily average card spending growth accelerated from the 5.6 percent rise during the second half of last year and the 3.7 percent gain six months earlier, the latest findings showed.

The daily use of check cards and other debit cards stood at 751 billion won in the first half of the year, up 7.5 percent on year.

The BOK data also showed that internet banking, including mobile banking, amounted to 106.4 trillion won on a daily basis in the January-June period, a pronounced 23.9 percent on-year rise.

Yonhap