BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, September 30. The use of banking cards in Kyrgyzstan accelerated sharply in the second quarter of 2025, with the total value of transactions climbing 28 percent year-on-year to $3.8 billion, according to the National Bank.
The data obtained by Trend from the country's National Bank indicates that the growth was supported by an expanding base of cardholders. The total number of payment cards in circulation reached 10.3 million as of June 30, 2025, a 28.8 percent increase from the same period last year. This equates to an average of 1.4 cards for every person in the country.
International payment systems dominated the market, with VISA accounting for the majority of cards at 6.55 million. The national payment system, "Elkart," which is widely used for government salaries, pensions, and social benefits, followed with 3.65 million cards.
The data revealed a significant concentration of economic activity in the capital. Transactions in Bishkek accounted for 61.4 percent of the total national card operation volume in Q2 2025, highlighting a stark regional disparity in financial digitalization.
