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Increased travel demand drives overseas card spending growth in 2025

Published: 25 Feb. 2026, 13:32 Updated: 25 Feb. 2026, 14:41

Passengers line up for boarding at the departure hall of Terminal 1 at Incheon International Airport on Feb. 13, ahead of the five-day Lunar New Year holiday. [YONHAP]

Koreans' overseas card spending reached an all-time high in 2025, driven by increased overseas travel and cross-border purchases, data showed Wednesday.

The amount of money spent abroad by Koreans using credit and debit cards totaled $22.91 billion last year, up 5.5 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).

"Demand for overseas travel has increased, while cross-border online shopping, such as direct overseas purchases, app store spending and subscription payments, has also expanded," a BOK official said.

The number of outbound travelers advanced 3 percent on-year to 29.55 million last year.

Overseas direct purchases via credit cards increased 1 percent from a year earlier to $5.98 billion in 2025.

By card type, spending with credit cards and debit cards gained 1.3 percent and 15.7 percent on-year, respectively, the data showed.

Meanwhile, non-residents' card spending in Korea climbed 18.2 percent on-year, also to a record high of $14.08 billion.

"Visits by foreign travelers increased significantly amid the popularity of Korean culture, which led to a rise in their card spending here," the BOK official said.

Yonhap