Overseas card spending hits record high in 2025 on rising travel demand

Incheon International Airport is crowded with vacationers, Dec. 16, 2025. Newsis

Koreans' overseas card spending reached an all-time high in 2025, driven by increased overseas travel and cross-border purchases, data showed Wednesday.

The amount of money spent abroad by Koreans using credit and debit cards totaled $22.91 billion last year, up 5.5 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).

"Demand for overseas travel has increased, while cross-border online shopping, such as direct overseas purchases, app store spending and subscription payments, has also expanded," a BOK official said.

The number of outbound travelers advanced 3 percent on-year to 29.55 million last year.

Overseas direct purchases via credit cards increased 1 percent from a year earlier to $5.98 billion in 2025.

By card type, spending with credit cards and debit cards gained 1.3 percent and 15.7 percent on-year, respectively, the data showed.

Meanwhile, non-residents' card spending in Korea climbed 18.2 percent on-year also to a record high of $14.08 billion.

"Visits by foreign travelers increased significantly amid the popularity of Korean culture, which led to a rise in their card spending here," the BOK official said.