Card swipes go up, spends dip
MUMBAI: Credit card usage rose in October 2025, when festival demand lifted the number of transactions even as the average ticket size fell dragging down value of transactions. Volumes increased 4.6% from Sept to 51.8 crore, but the total value of card spending declined 1.1% to around Rs. 2.1 lakh crore because shoppers made more but smaller purchases.PoS (card machine) use led the rise in October. PoS volume increased to 26.1 crore, and PoS value climbed to Rs 8.8 lakh crore. The shift reflects a return to in-store buying during the festival period, when households tend to buy clothing, electronics, and appliances at physical shops. Higher-value purchases at stores helped lift PoS spending after a weak Sept.Online spending eased with e-commerce volume rising to 25.5 crore transactions in Oct, but the value fell to Rs 12.6 lakh crore from Rs 14.4 lakh crore. The pattern shows that online spending remains tied to specific discount events. Without such offers in Oct, e-commerce value retreated even as volumes rose. The divergence between PoS and e-commerce shows how seasonal shopping patterns influence credit card use.Sept had shown the opposite trend. Card value rose 13.4% from Aug to Rs 2.2 lakh crore, driven by digital channels. E-commerce value jumped to Rs. 14.4 lakh crore in Sept, reflecting high-value purchases during online sales. PoS activity, meanwhile, dipped in volume and stayed flat in value.UPI continued to grow at a steady pace.
