Global Number of Cards with a Payment Function per Inhabitant by Country

Analyzing the global number of cards with a payment function per inhabitant by country for 2024, Singapore and Japan lead with 13.14 and 12.16 cards respectively. Following them are China with 6.6 and South Korea with 6.1. In comparison, countries such as Russia (3.63), Canada (2.87), and the United Kingdom (2.73) have significantly lower values. Among the European countries, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands range between 2.32 and 1.88 cards per inhabitant, with France at 1.45. India and Mexico stand at 1.86 and 1.64 respectively, while Saudi Arabia is at 1.09.

Future trends to watch include the potential increase in the adoption of digital and contactless payment methods, particularly in emerging markets, which could drive the number of payment cards higher. Additionally, technological advancements in financial services and policy initiatives in different countries might also significantly impact these figures, potentially leading to a more balanced distribution globally.