Bangladeshis spend 4x more abroad on cards than foreigners domestically

Bangladeshis are spending nearly four times as much abroad using cards compared to what foreign nationals spend using cards within Bangladesh.

In August, spending by Bangladeshis abroad via cards reached approximately Tk987 crore.

In contrast, foreigners spent nearly Tk249 crore in Bangladesh using their cards.

This wide gap between outward and inward expenditure highlights a significant international presence in the country's card-based transactions.

According to Bangladesh Bank data, Bangladeshis spent around Tk985 crore abroad via cards in July, which slightly increased to Tk987 crore in August.

On the other hand, foreign nationals' card spending within Bangladesh grew by 6.27% in one month, rising from Tk234 crore to nearly Tk249 crore.

In August, spending by Bangladeshis via credit cards abroad stood at Tk504.60 crore.

Debit cards accounted for Tk422.10 crore, and prepaid cards accounted for Tk60.10 crore.

• Credit Cards: The United States was the top choice for Bangladeshi credit cardholders, accounting for 17.16% of total foreign credit card transactions. It was followed by Thailand, the United Kingdom, India, and Singapore.
• Debit Cards: The United Kingdom was the top destination, capturing 14.19% of total debit card transactions.
• Prepaid Cards: India topped the list, accounting for the highest share at 18.71% of total prepaid card transactions.

Domestic credit card usage drops

While overseas spending rose, domestic credit card transactions inside the country dropped.

Spending dropped by 5.44%, falling from Tk4,324.80 crore in July to Tk4,089.30 crore in August.

Department stores accounted for 48.14% of total domestic credit card spending, followed by retail outlets (12.67%), utility bill payments (10.80%), and medicine/pharmacies (6.94%).

Cash withdrawals accounted for 6.43%. However, transactions at retail outlets increased from Tk487.90 crore to Tk518.30 crore.

Spending on utility bills, medicine, clothing, and transportation also saw an increase.

At the end of September 2021, the country had 24.225 million debit cards, 1.763 million credit cards, and 1.027 million prepaid cards.

By August 2026, those numbers expanded to 40.087 million debit cards, 2.805 million credit cards, and 9.271 million prepaid cards.

Over five years, the total number of cards grew by 96%, while overall transaction volume surged by 103%. Prepaid cards experienced the fastest growth.

At the end of August, the total approved credit limit against credit cards stood at Tk43,108 crore, with outstanding loans amounting to Tk14,482 crore.

Arief Hossain Khan, executive director and spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank, told Dhaka Tribune that the central bank is taking various initiatives to discourage cash transactions and promote digital payments, including efforts to expand transactions via Bangla QR alongside traditional payment cards.

Card Spending Breakdown & Top Destination Countries (August)

Source: Bangladesh Bank