Bangladeshis’ overseas credit card spending surged by 29.49 percent in April compared to March, while domestic credit card transactions declined by 19.68 percent during the same period, according to the latest data released by the Bangladesh Bank.
The report indicates that total domestic credit card transactions dropped from Tk 3,755 crore in March to Tk 3,016 crore in April, showing significant reduction across several key sectors. These include departmental stores, utility bills, retail purchases, cash withdrawals, pharmacies, fund transfers, transport, and both business and government service payments—traditionally the 11 most active categories for card usage.
Visa dominates the credit card landscape, accounting for 75 percent of total transactions, followed by Mastercard with 15 percent and Amex with 9 percent.
According to the central bank, 56 out of 62 scheduled banks and only one non-bank financial institution currently offer credit card services in Bangladesh. The data compiled for this report comes directly from those institutions.
Analysts believe the trend of increasing international credit card usage may continue if diplomatic ties with neighboring countries like India remain strained. Moreover, the diversification of destinations for Bangladeshi migrants, students, and tourists is further fueling cross-border transactions.
Overseas credit card spending by Bangladeshis continues to rise in countries like the United States, Thailand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Malaysia. Notably, India, once the top destination for foreign transactions, has dropped to sixth place.
According to the Bangladesh Bank’s Credit Card Transactions Report (April 2025), Bangladeshis spent Tk 468 crore on credit cards abroad in April 2025, up from Tk 361 crore in March—a 29.49 percent increase. However, compared to April 2024, when the figure stood at Tk 506 crore, this reflects a year-on-year decrease of Tk 145 crore.
In April, Bangladeshi credit card holders spent Tk 66.70 crore in the United States, up from Tk 57.40 crore in March and Tk 52.30 crore in February. Thailand ranked second with Tk 47 crore in transactions, followed by Singapore (Tk 45.60 crore), the UK (Tk 43.30 crore), and Malaysia (Tk 43 crore).
In contrast, spending in India fell sharply to just Tk 31 crore in April 2025—68.37 percent lower than the Tk 98 crore spent during the same period last year.
