Card Payments in Türkiye Hit Record ₺1.78 Trillion in April

Card payments in Türkiye reached an all-time high of ₺1.78 trillion in April 2025, marking a 58% year-on-year increase, according to the Interbank Card Center (BKM). The surge was largely driven by online shopping and a growing preference for contactless payments in physical stores.

446 Million Cards in Circulation

As of April, the total number of cards in use across Türkiye surpassed 446.3 million, including:

• 133.2 million credit cards

• 212 million debit cards

• 101.1 million prepaid cards

This represents a 10% annual increase, with growth distributed as follows:

• Credit cards: +9%

• Debit cards: +11%

• Prepaid cards: +8%

Credit Card Payments Dominate

Of the total transaction volume:

• Credit card payments hit ₺1.52 trillion, up 63% year-on-year

• Debit card payments rose 41% to ₺247.9 billion

• Prepaid card payments declined 11%, settling at ₺19.2 billion

Transaction Volume Reaches 1.6 Billion

A total of 1.6 billion card transactions were processed in April:

• 911.3 million via credit cards

• 617.9 million via debit cards

• 74.8 million via prepaid cards

While credit card usage grew 11% and debit card usage increased 15%, prepaid card transactions dropped 28% year-on-year.

Online Card Payments Surge 78%

E-commerce continues to drive digital payment growth. Internet-based card payments reached ₺545.4 billion, rising 78% year-on-year and accounting for 30% of total card spending.

• Online transaction volume: 225.2 million (+11% YoY)

• Online share of total transactions: 15%

Contactless Payments Lead In-Store Spending

In-store shopping habits are shifting decisively toward contactless payments, with four out of every five physical card transactions made contactlessly in April. This reflects a consumer shift toward speed, convenience, and hygiene, reinforcing contactless as the default method of payment.