Credit Card Market Share by Network (2025)
- ️Wed Feb 26 2025
Credit Card Market Share by Purchase Volume:
The four major credit card networks – Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover – dictate where credit cards and debit cards can be used. They are not created equal, however. Visa and Mastercard boast a significant advantage in terms of worldwide acceptance, while Amex and Discover supplement their payment facilitation business by issuing cards directly to consumers. Card network rental car insurance, extended warranty, and fraud liability policies vary widely as well.
The card network market share statistics listed below will give you a sense of the hierarchy that exists in the card network space. Networks are compared based on credit card market share, debit card market share, purchase volume, cards in circulation, and monthly spending.
Credit Card Market Share by Purchase Volume
(Source: SEC filings from Visa, Mastercard and Nilson Report, 2025)
Credit Card Networks Based on Purchase Volume (in Billions)
| Year | Visa | Mastercard | American Express | Discover | Total Purchase Volume (In Billions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,204 | $1,526 | $1,194 | $212 | $6,136 |
| 2023 | $3,028 | $1,432 | $1,124 | $218 | $5,802 |
| 2022 | $2,840 | $1,321 | $1,027 | $211 | $5,399 |
| 2021 | $2,405 | $1,085 | $868 | $182 | $4,540 |
| 2020 | $1,939 | $841 | $674 | $143 | $3,597 |
| 2019 | $2,089 | $910 | $821 | $146 | $3,966 |
| 2018 | $1,956 | $811 | $754 | $139 | $3,660 |
| 2017 | $1,777 | $743 | $703 | $129 | $3,352 |
| 2016 | $1,549 | $693 | $695 | $121 | $3,058 |
| 2015 | $1,343 | $652 | $716 | $118 | $2,830 |
| 2014 | $1,213 | $607 | $684 | $116 | $2,620 |
| 2013 | $1,079 | $560 | $633 | $110 | $2,382 |
| 2012 | $981 | $534 | $566 | $106 | $2,187 |
| 2011 | $889 | $508 | $540 | $100 | $2,063 |
| 2010 | $809 | $479 | $461 | $93 | $1,921 |
| 2009 | $764 | $477 | $411 | $88 | $1,789 |
| 2008 | $824 | $547 | $503 | $92 | $1,967 |
| 2007 | $807 | $548 | $453 | $90 | $1,898 |
(Source: SEC filings from Visa, Mastercard and Nilson Report, 2025)
Credit Card Market Share by Outstanding Balance
| Network | Market share |
|---|---|
| Visa | 47% |
| Mastercard | 24% |
| American Express | 13% |
| Discover | 8% |
| Others | 8% |
(Source: Nilson Report, 2022)
Credit Card Market Share by Number of Cards in Circulation
(Sources: SEC filings from Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover)
Number of Cards in Circulation (in Millions)
| Year | Visa | Mastercard | American Express | Discover | Total Number of Cards (In Millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 361 | 274 | 56 | 61 | 752 |
| 2020 | 353 | 246 | 54 | 60 | 713 |
| 2019 | 337 | 243 | 55 | 59 | 694 |
| 2018 | 337 | 231 | 54 | 57 | 679 |
| 2017 | 340 | 211 | 50 | 53 | 654 |
| 2016 | 335 | 200 | 48 | 51 | 634 |
| 2015 | 328 | 191 | 58 | 53 | 630 |
| 2014 | 304 | 191 | 55 | 57 | 607 |
| 2013 | 285 | 178 | 53 | 64 | 580 |
| 2012 | 277 | 178 | 52 | 62 | 569 |
(Source: SEC filings from Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover)
Average Credit Card Spending by Network
| Visa | Mastercard | American Express | Discover | Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $6,625 | $3,960 | $15,904 | $2,986 | $6,073 |
| Monthly | $552 | $330 | $1,325 | $249 | $506 |
(Sources: SEC filings from Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover)
Global Credit Card Market Share by Purchase Volume
| Network | Purchase Volume (in Billions) | Market share |
|---|---|---|
| UnionPay | $6950.06 | 44.33% |
| Visa | $5141.02 | 32.79% |
| Mastercard | $2759.71 | 17.60% |
| Others | $828.49 | 5.28% |
(Source: Nilson Report, 2022)
Market Share by Credit Card Network FAQ(19 questions)
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What are the four major credit card networks?
Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover are the four major credit card networks. Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted credit card networks in the world, while American Express and Discover are networks that also issue credit cards directly to consumers.
The Four Major Credit Card Companies Compared
|
Network |
Cards in Circulation |
U.S. Acceptance |
International Acceptance |
|
266.3 million cards |
10.7 million merchants |
210+ countries/territories |
|
|
312.2 million cards |
10.7 million merchants |
200+ countries/territories |
|
|
48.4 million cards |
10.6 million merchants |
198+ countries/territories |
|
|
61 million cards |
10.6 million merchants |
200 countries/territories |
A credit card network's primary role is to process credit card and debit card transactions between the banks that issue cards on that network and the merchants who accept those cards as payment. This includes setting up payment systems and charging merchants interchange fees for processing those transactions.
Credit card networks also provide certain benefits, such as travel insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranties, among others. However, credit card issuers ultimately decide which network benefits to include on their credit cards.
You can learn more about the biggest credit card companies and major credit cards on WalletHub.
Is Discover a Visa or Mastercard?
Discover is not a Visa or a Mastercard. Discover is a completely separate company that operates its own card network, and it also differs from Visa and Mastercard by actually issuing many of the credit cards on its network. Visa and Mastercard aren't card issuers, so the cards on their networks come from lots of different banks and credit unions.
However, Discover is similar to Visa, Mastercard and American Express in the sense that all four are...
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What are the best credit card companies?
Milvionne Chery Copeland, Writer
The best credit card companies are American Express and Capital One, based on customer satisfaction. American Express ranks first in the latest J.D. Power Credit Card Satisfaction Study, and Capital One isn't far behind, as both companies have some of the best credit cards according to WalletHub.
Some of the factors the J.D. Power study used to measure customer satisfaction include credit card terms, communication, rewards, benefits and services, and problem resolution. Below, you will find the...
Is American Express Visa or Mastercard?
Bogdan Roberts, Credit Cards Moderator
American Express isn't a Visa or a Mastercard. American Express, Visa and Mastercard are three of the four major card networks, but American Express also extends credit and issue cards directly to consumers.
A credit card never has two networks, so you'll never see an American Express Visa card or an American Express Mastercard. Furthermore, lots of the credit cards on the Amex network are actually issued by American Express itself. Visa and Mastercard, on the other...
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Can I use my credit card in Canada?
Yes, you can use your credit card in Canada, but you'll have better luck with some types of cards than others. Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted credit card networks, and you should be able to use their cards at any merchants that take credit cards in Canada. American Express cards aren't accepted everywhere in Canada but they work at at over 90,000 places. Fortunately, you can check where American Express cards are accepted in major Canadian...
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What bank is Discover Card associated with?
Chip Lupo, Credit Card Writer
Discover cards are issued by Discover Bank, which is a division of Discover Financial Services (DFS). Discover Financial Services also operates the Discover Global Network, which includes Discover, Diners Club International, and the Pulse electronic funds transfer network.
Discover provides credit cards, banking services and other lending products directly to its customers. Because Discover issues credit cards that run on its own card network, the company is more similar to American Express than to the...
What's so special about Amex cards?
Chip Lupo, Credit Card Writer
Amex cards are special because they have first-class customer service and they offer some of the best rewards, bonuses and travel benefits available. Plus, American Express is unique because it both issues credit cards and operates as a card network.
Things That Make Amex Cards Special
The cards often have rewards
American Express offers a large selection of rewards cards, from travel to cash back to cards that are co-branded with merchants. Certain Amex...
Is Capital One Platinum a Visa or Mastercard credit card?
The Capital One Platinum Credit Card is a Mastercard. That means you can use your Capital One Platinum at nearly 11 million merchants nationwide and abroad in more than 200 countries and territories. But keep in mind that networks are subject to change. Online applicants can see the network logo at the top of the application form.
Just note that it's more worthwhile to compare individual credit card offers than to focus on getting a card from a particular network....
Is Chase Freedom Unlimited a Visa or Mastercard?
Maria Adams, Credit Cards Moderator
Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a Visa, not a Mastercard. You can use your Chase Freedom Unlimited Card at nearly 11 million merchants that accept Visa nationwide, and you can use it abroad in more than 200 countries and territories.
There are a few differences between Visa and Mastercard credit cards, such as the network-level benefits they offer, but those differences are relatively small. The two card networks have a lot in common, including extensive worldwide acceptance. As a result, it's...
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