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Credit card use in Bangladesh continued to rise sharply, with spending increasing by more than 33 percent year-on-year in May as consumers relied on discounts, instalment facilities and card-based payments despite persistent inflationary pressures.
According to the latest Bangladesh Bank data, total credit card transactions reached Tk 42.88 billion in May 2026, up 10.85 percent from Tk 38.68 billion in April.
On a year-on-year basis, spending rose 33.15 percent from Tk 32.20 billion recorded in May 2025.
The central bank’s report shows that both domestic and overseas credit card expenditures have been increasing as consumers continue retail spending despite higher living costs.
Department stores accounted for nearly half of all domestic credit card transactions in May, making them the largest category for card spending.
Bangladeshis also increased their use of credit cards abroad during the month. Overseas transactions by Bangladeshi cardholders rose to Tk 4.25 billion in May.
The United States remained the top destination for overseas credit card spending, accounting for 17.3 percent of total foreign transactions. The United Kingdom ranked second, while spending in Saudi Arabia nearly doubled compared with the previous month.
Meanwhile, foreign-issued credit cards were used for transactions worth Tk 3.12 billion in Bangladesh during May, representing a 12.63 percent increase from a year earlier.
At the end of May, the total approved credit limit for credit cards in Bangladesh stood at Tk 420.01 billion.
In response to the growing use of credit cards, Bangladesh Bank recently increased the maximum credit card limit from Tk 2.5 million to Tk 4 million. The central bank has also capped the maximum interest rate on credit cards at 25 percent.
