UK Card Payment Statistics 2026

Published 2026-06-15. Compiled by MerchantHQ from UK Finance figures. Every number on this page is quoted from a named UK Finance report.

There were 1.88 billion debit and credit card transactions in the UK in February 2026, worth £65.3 billion, according to UK Finance. Across the whole of the first quarter of 2026 there were 5,992 million card transactions in the UK, worth £210.9 billion. Contactless accounted for 75 per cent of all debit card transactions and 66 per cent of all credit card transactions in February 2026. Every figure below is quoted directly from a named UK Finance report, with its exact period and source.

1.88 billion card transactions worth £65.3 billion were made in the UK in February 2026, and 5,992 million worth £210.9 billion across the first quarter.

Headline findings

Monthly card transactions, February 2026

UK Finance reports two views. The first covers transactions made by UK cardholders, inside the UK and overseas. There were 2.0 billion debit card transactions in February 2026, 1.2 per cent more than in February 2025, with a total spend of £59.6 billion, 0.8 per cent higher than a year before. There were 354 million credit card transactions, 6 per cent more than the year before, with a total spend of £20.1 billion, 5.5 per cent higher.

### UK cardholder card transactions, February 2026 (inside the UK and overseas)

| Measure | February 2026 | Year on year |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Debit card transactions (volume) | 2.0bn | up 1.2% |
| Debit card spend (value) | £59.6bn | up 0.8% |
| Credit card transactions (volume) | 354mn | up 6% |
| Credit card spend (value) | £20.1bn | up 5.5% |

Source: UK Finance, Card Spending Update, February 2026 (https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/data-and-research/data/card-spending)

Figures cover transactions made by UK cardholders both inside the UK and overseas. Year-on-year change compares February 2026 with February 2025.

The second view covers card activity in the UK only, on both UK-issued and overseas-issued cards. There were 1.88 billion debit and credit card transactions in the UK in February 2026, 2.3 per cent fewer than in February 2025, worth £65.3 billion, 0.5 per cent less than a year earlier. Of these, 1.376 billion were contactless, worth £22.5 billion.

### Card activity in the UK, February 2026 (UK-issued and overseas-issued cards)

| Measure | February 2026 | Year on year |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All card transactions (volume) | 1.88bn | down 2.3% |
| All card spend (value) | £65.3bn | down 0.5% |
| Debit card transactions (volume) | 1,533mn | down 4.1% |
| Credit card transactions (volume) | 346mn | up 6.7% |
| Contactless transactions (volume) | 1.376bn | down 3.1% |
| Contactless transactions (value) | £22.5bn | up 0.4% |

Source: UK Finance, Card Spending Update, February 2026 (https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/data-and-research/data/card-spending)

Figures cover all card transactions made in the UK, on both UK-issued and overseas-issued cards. Year-on-year change compares February 2026 with February 2025.

Contactless payments, February 2026

UK Finance reports that contactless payments accounted for 66 per cent of all credit card transactions and 75 per cent of all debit card transactions in February 2026. There were 1.376 billion contactless card transactions in the month, 3.1 per cent fewer than the 1.420 billion in February 2025. The total value of contactless transactions was £22.5 billion, a 0.4 per cent increase on £22.4 billion in February 2025. The number of contactless credit card transactions was 7.7 per cent higher than February 2025, while the number of contactless debit card transactions was 4.9 per cent lower.

First quarter 2026 by sector

The Card Expenditure Statistics Dashboard breaks the quarter down into retail and service sectors. In the first quarter of 2026 there were 5,992 million card transactions in the UK, worth £210.9 billion, down from 6,110 million worth £213.4 billion in the first quarter of 2025. Retail sector spending was broadly flat while service sector spending fell.

### UK card transactions by sector, first quarter 2026

| Measure | Q1 2026 | Year on year |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Retail sector transactions (volume) | 3,591mn | down 0.3% |
| Retail sector spend (value) | £95.5bn | up 0.4% |
| Service sector transactions (volume) | 2,402mn | down 4.2% |
| Service sector spend (value) | £115.4bn | down 2.5% |

Source: UK Finance, Card Expenditure Statistics Dashboard, 2026 Q1 (https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/data-and-research/data/card-spending)

Figures cover all card transactions in the UK on both UK-issued and overseas-issued cards. Year-on-year change compares Q1 2026 with Q1 2025.

First quarter 2026 by transaction type

Across the first quarter of 2026, 4,386 million UK card transactions were contactless, 991 million were online and 615 million were chip and PIN or other. The average value of a card transaction in the UK was £35.19, with the average contactless transaction at £16.39 and the average online transaction at £80.12.

### UK card transactions by type and average value, first quarter 2026

| Measure | Q1 2026 | Year on year |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Contactless transactions (volume) | 4,386mn | down 2% |
| Online transactions (volume) | 991mn | up 2% |
| Chip and PIN or other (volume) | 615mn | down 3% |
| Average value of a transaction | £35.19 | up 1% |
| Average value of a contactless transaction | £16.39 | up 4% |
| Average value of an online transaction | £80.12 | down 2% |

Source: UK Finance, Card Expenditure Statistics Dashboard, 2026 Q1 (https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/data-and-research/data/card-spending)

Figures cover all card transactions in the UK on both UK-issued and overseas-issued cards. Year-on-year change compares Q1 2026 with Q1 2025.

Methodology

Every figure on this page is quoted directly from a named UK Finance publication: the Card Spending Update for February 2026, released on 19 May 2026, and the Card Expenditure Statistics Dashboard for the first quarter of 2026, released on 29 May 2026. We do not estimate, average across reports, or republish figures from secondary sources. Where UK Finance does not state a figure, we leave it out rather than infer it. UK Finance notes that data on UK cardholders is separate from data on card activity in the UK: the first covers transactions on cards issued to UK residents inside the UK and overseas, while the second covers transactions in the UK on both UK-issued and overseas-issued cards. The Dashboard estimates that its data covers over 92 per cent of the total credit card market.

Compiled by Oliver Mackman. Published by MerchantHQ. See also the UK Card Processing Fee Index, the Card Acquirer Index and our UK card payment statistics.