Written by The Banking Post
Credit card usage in Bangladesh declined in July, both at home and abroad, with data from the central bank showing a notable drop in overseas transactions by Bangladeshi cardholders.
According to the Bangladesh Bank, domestic credit card transactions totaled Tk 30.83 billion in July 2025, slightly down from Tk 31.14 billion in June — a modest month-on-month dip.
Of the domestic total, 93% or Tk 28.68 billion was spent on purchases, while Tk 2.04 billion was withdrawn as cash, and Tk 110 million went toward fund transfers.
However, it was the outward spending that saw a sharper fall. Cross-border credit card usage by Bangladeshis dropped by 12.81%, from Tk 5.49 billion in June to Tk 4.79 billion in July.
The bulk of overseas spending occurred at department stores (29.87%), followed by retail outlets (17.50%), pharmacies (11.23%), transport (10.95%), business services (7.50%), and clothing (7.42%).
The United States topped the list of destinations for these transactions, accounting for 16.57% of the total, followed by the UK (11.99%), Thailand (10.84%), Singapore (8.20%), and Malaysia (7.97%). Other notable destinations included India, Canada, the Netherlands, UAE, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Ireland.
Outward card transactions in India alone fell by 17.7% in July, dropping from Tk 339 million in June to Tk 279 million.
Meanwhile, inward transactions—credit card usage in Bangladesh by foreign nationals—also saw a decline. Spending totaled Tk 1.88 billion in July, down 3.59% from Tk 1.95 billion in June.
Foreign-issued cards were mostly used in local department stores (27.17%), followed by cash withdrawals (25.52%), fund transfers (13.71%), and transport-related services (13.11%).
Industry insiders point to seasonal factors and tightened discretionary spending as possible reasons for the decline. “Spending patterns often fluctuate around mid-year, especially with changing travel trends and budget adjustments,” said a senior banker.
