Brief

National Bank of Ukraine reports: the average card payment amount in the trade and service network in 2025 increased by 7% — to UAH 354 (compared with UAH 330 in 2024), online — by 8% to UAH 608 (was UAH 561). Overall Ukrainians made 9.5 billion transactions totaling UAH 7.2 trillion, of which cashless payments account for 95.5% by number and 65.4% by value (UAH 4.7 trillion).

"The average amount of a single payment with payment cards in the trade and service network in 2025 increased by 7% to UAH 354, online — by 8% to UAH 608."

— National Bank of Ukraine

What this means for citizens and businesses

The rise in average checks and the overall transaction dynamics indicate not only that Ukrainians are paying more often — they are also a marker of recovering consumer demand and the digitization of payments. The increase in the average online check to UAH 608 underscores the shift of part of commerce to the internet and growing trust in electronic payment instruments.

The decline in the average amount of card-to-card transfers by ~5% (to UAH 1,864) may indicate that some current financial activity has shifted toward payments for goods and services rather than one-off large transfers — or reflect changing card usage patterns among different population groups.

Infrastructure and trust

Infrastructure is following demand: the number of payment terminals grew by 12.5% to 558,600, 85% of which support contactless payments. The number of cards increased by 12.7% to 148.7 million — a significant share of issuance relates to state social support programs (national cashback, winter support, etc.). At the same time the number of ATMs remained steady at 15,700, and every third active card is tokenized for NFC — an important step toward security and convenience.

"The adoption of electronic payments leads to increased revenue and footfall for stores in Ukraine."

— Visa research, 2024

Context and risks

These indicators are a positive signal for public finances, small businesses and international investors: electronic payments improve fiscal transparency and the efficiency of aid disbursements. At the same time there are two constraining links: technical accessibility in remote areas and the cybersecurity of payment infrastructure. Without attention to these aspects, growth may prove uneven.

Conclusion

Data from the National Bank show that the Ukrainian economy continues to move into the digital sphere: this strengthens market resilience and makes service delivery more efficient. But for the trend to become systemic, further investment is needed in infrastructure, cyber protection and financial inclusion. Whether the state and business can use this trend to bolster economic security is the key question for the coming years.