Taiwan’s Five Largest Card Issuers Post Record NT$1.2 Trillion in Spending Through April 2026

Taiwan’s credit card market is led by CTBC Bank, Cathay United Bank, Taipei Fubon Bank, E.Sun Bank and Taishin International Bank. Their billings are closely watched as a gauge of household consumption and the shift toward cashless payments. Overseas travel, dining, shopping and e-commerce accelerated during the 2024 summer holiday, while digital payment adoption helped sustain transaction growth ahead of department-store anniversary sales and year-end online shopping campaigns.

The five banks reported combined July billings of NT$279.14 billion on Aug. 15, 2024. CTBC led with NT$68.762 billion, followed by Cathay United at NT$65.285 billion, Taipei Fubon at NT$52.309 billion, E.Sun at NT$48.43 billion and Taishin at NT$44.355 billion. The total fell by roughly one-third from June’s tax-boosted NT$419.02 billion, but CTBC’s January-July spending still rose 8% to NT$474.1 billion, with several issuers posting record billings for the period.

Taiwan’s credit card market received a seasonal boost from individual income tax payments, which are filed in May and reflected in card billings the following month. The concentration of large tax transactions has made June an important period for card spending, while the broader shift toward cashless payments underscores changing consumer behavior and the growing role of electronic settlement in Taiwan’s financial system.

Credit card transaction value reached a record NT$788.7 billion in June 2026 after individual income tax charges from May were booked, Taiwan’s Financial Supervisory Commission said. The total was the highest ever recorded in a single month. Both the value and number of non-cash payments rose sharply in the first half of 2026, leaving the regulator optimistic that its full-year cashless-payment target will be achieved.

Credit card transaction value is a key gauge of consumer spending momentum. Taiwan’s five largest card-issuing banks—CTBC Bank, Cathay United Bank, E.SUN Bank, Taipei Fubon Bank and Taishin Bank—recorded steadily rising combined card spending from January through May, driven by travel, mobile payments and holiday-related consumption. The increase reflects simultaneous growth in digital payments and demand for overseas spending.

Mother’s Day promotions boosted card spending in May. Combined transaction value at the five issuers reached NT$1.46 trillion in the first five months of the year, surpassing NT$1.4 trillion and setting a record for the period, while May spending also reached an all-time high for the month. CTBC Bank led in cards issued, active cards and transaction value. E.SUN Bank’s May transaction value surpassed Taipei Fubon Bank’s for the first time, and issuers have shifted their focus to summer travel and e-commerce campaigns.

Credit card spending is a key gauge of consumer demand and momentum in travel and retail. Lunar New Year fell in February in 2026, concentrating holiday demand for shopping, dining and overseas travel. That pushed Taiwan's credit card spending to nearly NT$800 billion in the first two months of the year and boosted business at major card issuers.

By the end of February 2026, combined card spending at CTBC Bank, Cathay United Bank, Taipei Fubon Bank, E.SUN Bank and Taishin Bank had reached NT$576.364 billion for the first two months of the year, up more than 10% from the same period in 2025 and a record for the period. CTBC Bank led with NT$154.3 billion, while Cathay United, Taipei Fubon, E.SUN and Taishin also set their own records for the period.