While individual consumers moved from check cards to credit cards, companies rather increased their use of corporate check cards. While the proportion of individual debit cards has steadily declined over the past three years, corporate debit card usage has continued to increase, reaching nearly 20 trillion won.
As a result of analyzing the credit card usage performance data of the Credit Finance Association on the 15th, the proportion of debit cards among individual general consumption of eight full-time credit card companies (Samsung, Shinhan, KB Kookmin, Hyundai, Lotte, Hana, Woori, and BC) decreased from 12.29% in 2023 to 11.77% in 2024 and 11.32% in 2025. In January-April this year, it fell to 10.96%, falling below the 11% level.
On the other hand, corporate debit card usage increased. Corporate debit card general payments increased from 17.4 trillion won in 2023 to 19.1 trillion won in 2025. During the same period, the proportion of debit cards in general payments also rose slightly from 18.3% to 18.7%. It is an increase of KRW 1.717 trillion in two years, and it is expected to surpass KRW 20 trillion within this year.
In other words, individuals and companies’ moves have been mixed even within the debit card market. In the case of individuals, high prices and economic slowdowns have led to a greater increase in the use of credit cards that can be suspended from payments.
On the other hand, it is analyzed that companies are expanding their use of corporate check cards as the need for cost control and fund execution management grows. The corporate debit card is paid from the account as soon as it is used, making it easy to manage spending. However, companies are increasing their credit card usage along with corporate check cards. The amount of corporate credit card use by eight full-time credit card companies increased from 141.246 trillion won in 2023 to 162.518 trillion won in 2025.
Companies have cut back on credit card useThe use of debit cards also increased in the process of expanding the overall corporate payment scale. Companies are also increasing the use of debit cards in terms of accounting transparency and cost management.
[Reporter Kwon Sunwoo]
#