No numbers were provided from before 2012; Figures were released in early 2024, and have a significant publication delay due to domestic data collection and reporting.
Supplementary notes
The figures have been collected from several publications, as (the quality of) data tracking of card payments can vary significantly between countries, and to unify figures across different countries worldwide.
All figures stem from either theÌýÌýor theÌý. Both use figures submitted by the country's central bank to either or both sources.
2022 figures and beyond - release date November 2023 and later - made significant strides in reporting quality, sometimes causing significant breaks in methodology in individual countries. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ sometimes still had to calculate figures, however, as card figures were split between non-remote and remote use cases, or credit cards were not always clearly defined.Ìý
Depending on the content, additional sources were used:
Per capita, 15 years and older:Ìý;
U.S. dollar conversion:Ìýrates from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).
Citation formats
Annual credit card and debit cards issued in Canada 2012-2024
The number of credit cards in Canada declined by over ** million in 2023, but it remained one of the few countries with more credit cards than debit cards. Credit card numbers increased then in 2024, exceeding ** million. Canada is considered the country with the highest credit card penetration worldwide, as many Canadians own either one or two of these payment cards. Despite that, exact figures on this market are seemingly difficult to come by.
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Canadian Bankers Association, & Bank for International Settlements. (March 25, 2026). Total number of credit cards and debit cards in circulation in Canada from 2012 to 2024 [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 30, 2026, from /statistics/594299/number-of-credit-cards-canada/
Canadian Bankers Association, und Bank for International Settlements. "Total number of credit cards and debit cards in circulation in Canada from 2012 to 2024." Chart. March 25, 2026. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 30, 2026. /statistics/594299/number-of-credit-cards-canada/
Canadian Bankers Association, Bank for International Settlements. (2026). Total number of credit cards and debit cards in circulation in Canada from 2012 to 2024. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 30, 2026. /statistics/594299/number-of-credit-cards-canada/
Canadian Bankers Association, and Bank for International Settlements. "Total Number of Credit Cards and Debit Cards in Circulation in Canada from 2012 to 2024." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 25 Mar 2026, /statistics/594299/number-of-credit-cards-canada/
Canadian Bankers Association & Bank for International Settlements, Total number of credit cards and debit cards in circulation in Canada from 2012 to 2024 ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/594299/number-of-credit-cards-canada/ (last visited July 30, 2026)
Total number of credit cards and debit cards in circulation in Canada from 2012 to 2024 [Graph], Canadian Bankers Association, & Bank for International Settlements, March 25, 2026. [Online]. Available: /statistics/594299/number-of-credit-cards-canada/
