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While pinpointing the exact total amount spent using POS (Point of Sale) cards in the U.S. last year (2024) is difficult with precise figures readily available today, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, we can look at the data from 2023 to provide a close estimate and understand the scale.
Based on the available information for 2023:
* Total Card Spending (Credit, Debit, and Prepaid): The Nilson Report indicated that the total purchase volume at merchants using credit, debit, and prepaid general-purpose cards issued by the top 100 U.S. issuers reached $8.486 trillion in 2023.
* Debit Card Spending: Purchase volume on debit cards in the U.S. reached $4.3 trillion in 2023, according to The Motley Fool, referencing the Nilson Report. Another source mentioned a purchase volume of $17.725 trillion globally for debit cards, which indicates the US portion would be a significant part of this.
* Credit Card Spending: Credit card transaction volume in the U.S. was around $5.6 trillion in 2023.
Therefore, to estimate the amount spent using POS cards (which primarily includes credit and debit cards) in the U.S. in 2023, we can combine the figures for credit and debit card spending:
* Approximately $5.6 trillion (credit) + $4.3 trillion (debit) = $9.9 trillion.
It’s important to note that this is an estimate based on the available 2023 data. The actual figure for 2024 would likely be higher due to the general trend of increasing card usage.
General Information on POS Card Usage in the U.S.:
* Dominant Payment Method: Credit and debit cards are among the most popular payment methods at the point of sale in the U.S.
* Growth Trend: The use of card payments has been steadily increasing over the years, driven by convenience, security features, and rewards programs (for credit cards).
* Digital Wallets: Digital wallets, which often link to credit and debit cards, are also a growing segment of POS payments.
* Contactless Payments: Contactless payment methods, including tap-to-pay cards and mobile wallets, have gained popularity, contributing to the ease of POS transactions.
As we move further into 2025, more precise data for the full year of 2024 will become available from various financial reports and surveys.