Debit Card Ownership Statistics in Ethiopia (2026)

As of the 2024 data, 12.8% of adults in Ethiopia owned a debit card, per World Bank Global Findex. Up from 11.2% in 2022 to 12.8% in 2024 (+1.6 percentage points). Ethiopia ranks #14 of 36 economies in Sub-Saharan Africa on this measure, and #118 of 145 globally.

Key Statistics

Latest value (2024): 12.8% (2024); Debit Card Ownership in Ethiopia as of 2024, the most recent observation in World Bank Global Findex data.
Change since 2022: +1.6 pp (2024); Up from 11.2% in 2022 to 12.8% in 2024 (+1.6 percentage points).
Earliest value in this dataset (2014): 0.8% (2014); Earliest observation in this dataset, which covers 1990 onward (the source series may begin earlier). Up from 0.8% in 2014 to 12.8% in 2024.
Record high (2024): 12.8% (2024); The 2024 value is the highest in the available World Bank Global Findex series for Ethiopia.
Rank in Sub-Saharan Africa: #14 of 36 (2024); Ethiopia ranks 14 of 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data, based on each country's latest value.
Global rank: #118 of 145 (2024); Ethiopia ranks 118 of 145 countries with data globally.
Sub-Saharan Africa average: 16.3% (2024); Ethiopia (12.8%) is below the average of 16.3% across the 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data.
Among women (2024): 6.2% (2024); Value for women in Ethiopia, same 2024 World Bank Global Findex data.
Among men (2024): 19.8% (2024); Value for men in Ethiopia, same 2024 World Bank Global Findex data.
Gender gap (women minus men): −13.6 pp (2024); In 2024, the figure was 6.2% for women and 19.8% for men — 13.6 percentage points lower among women.
Internet use in Ethiopia (2024): 21.9% (2024); 21.9% of the population in Ethiopia used the internet in 2024 (World Bank); shown for context only.
Population (2024): 132.1 million (2024); Ethiopia had a population of 132.1 million in 2024 (World Bank); shown for scale only.

Trend, 2014–2024

Debit Card Ownership in Ethiopia by year (% of adults (age 15+))
Year	% of adults (age 15+)	Change
2024	12.8%	+1.6 pp
2022	11.2%	+6.9 pp
2017	4.3%	+3.6 pp
2014	0.8%	—

Fig. 1 — Debit Card Ownership in Ethiopia, 2014–2024

Frequently asked questions

What share of adults in Ethiopia owned a debit card?

12.8% of adults in Ethiopia owned a debit card in 2024, according to World Bank Global Findex data.

How recent is the debit card ownership data for Ethiopia?

The most recent observation is from 2024. World Bank Global Findex data is reported with a lag, so 2024 is the latest available year for Ethiopia.

Where does the debit card ownership data for Ethiopia come from?

The data comes from the World Bank Global Findex (indicator fin2.t.d). The latest observation for Ethiopia is from 2024; the snapshot was retrieved on 2026-06-10.

How has debit card ownership in Ethiopia changed over time?

World Bank Global Findex data show a rise from 0.8% in 2014 to 12.8% in 2024.

How does Ethiopia compare with other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Ethiopia ranks 14 of 36 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data, with 12.8% versus a regional average of 16.3% (latest values per country).

Source & methodology

Source: World Bank Global Findex, indicator fin2.t.d, retrieved 2026-06-10.

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 2026-06-10.