Credit Card Usage Statistics in Australia (2026)
As of the 2021 data, 45.8% of adults in Australia used a credit card, per World Bank Global Findex. Down from 56.8% in 2017 to 45.8% in 2021 (−11 percentage points). Australia ranks #5 of 16 economies in East Asia & Pacific on this measure, and #17 of 142 globally.
Key Statistics
- Latest value (2021)
- 45.8% (2021)
- Credit Card Usage in Australia as of 2021, the most recent observation in World Bank Global Findex data.
- Change since 2017
- −11 pp (2021)
- Down from 56.8% in 2017 to 45.8% in 2021 (−11 percentage points).
- Earliest value in this dataset (2014)
- 56.3% (2014)
- Earliest observation in this dataset, which covers 1990 onward (the source series may begin earlier). Down from 56.3% in 2014 to 45.8% in 2021.
- Peak value (2017)
- 56.8% (2017)
- Highest value in the available series; the 2021 value is 45.8%.
- Rank in East Asia & Pacific
- #5 of 16 (2021)
- Australia ranks 5 of 16 countries in East Asia & Pacific with data, based on each country's latest value.
- Global rank
- #17 of 142 (2021)
- Australia ranks 17 of 142 countries with data globally.
- East Asia & Pacific average
- 24.6% (2021)
- Australia (45.8%) is above the average of 24.6% across the 16 countries in East Asia & Pacific with data.
- Owns a credit card (% age 15+) (2021)
- 51.4% (2021)
- Related indicator from World Bank Global Findex.
- Internet use in Australia (2024)
- 96.1% (2024)
- 96.1% of the population in Australia used the internet in 2024 (World Bank); shown for context only.
- Population (2024)
- 27.2 million (2024)
- Australia had a population of 27.2 million in 2024 (World Bank); shown for scale only.
Trend, 2014–2021
| Year | % of adults (age 15+) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 45.8% | −11.0 pp |
| 2017 | 56.8% | +0.6 pp |
| 2014 | 56.3% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What share of adults in Australia used a credit card?
45.8% of adults in Australia used a credit card in 2021, according to World Bank Global Findex data.
Where does Australia rank globally on credit card usage?
Australia ranks 17 of 142 countries with data globally, based on the latest World Bank Global Findex value for each country.
When did credit card usage in Australia peak?
The highest value in the available series was 56.8% in 2017; the latest (2021) value is 45.8%.
Source & methodology
Source: World Bank Global Findex, indicator
fin22g, retrieved .
Figures are shown exactly as published in the source dataset; only the change column of the trend table is computed from adjacent published values.Read more on the methodology page. All figures are estimates and projections; this is not financial advice.
Last updated .