December records the highest card transaction activity among Filipinos, driven by Christmas shopping at home and travel spending overseas, according to new data from Visa, a digital payments company.
Based on card-present transactions, where the cardholder and physical card are used at the point of sale, Visa Consulting and Analytics examined how Filipinos spend during the Christmas season. The data shows a clear increase in payment volume in December compared with other months, showing how the holidays affect daily spending decisions.
“Christmas brings people together, and our data underscores the holidays’ enduring socio-cultural and economic significance to the country,” said Jeffrey Navarro, country manager for Visa Philippines. “For Visa, it’s important that we enable these personal journeys and experiences through payments that are fast, seamless, and secure, so that Filipinos and tourists alike can have meaningful celebrations anywhere across the country and abroad.”
Local spending grows steadily as December progresses, with clear spikes during weekends. Transactions peak on Dec. 23, the last weekend before Christmas Eve, as shoppers rush to complete gift buying and holiday preparations in malls and business districts. After Christmas, domestic spending slows as many Filipinos travel back to their provinces to spend time with family through the New Year.
A different pattern appears among Filipinos traveling overseas. Spending outside the country picks up after Christmas, reaching its highest point on Dec.r 29, before easing toward the New Year. This suggests continued spending on travel, dining, and leisure activities during post-Christmas vacations abroad.
The holiday season also brings more foreign card spending within the Philippines. Transactions made using foreign-issued cards rise in December, driven by tourists and returning overseas Filipinos. The largest sources of inbound spending, measured by payment volume in US dollars, are the United States, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore.
Holiday spending is not limited to Metro Manila. Six of the top ten destinations for foreign card transactions are outside the capital. Makati and Parañaque record the highest volumes, followed by Cebu, Angeles, and Davao, showing that Christmas-related economic activity is spread across key cities nationwide.
Spending patterns also vary by the visitor’s country of origin. Travelers from the United States, South Korea, Singapore, Australia, and Hong Kong spend more on lodging. Tourists from Taiwan and Japan spend more on entertainment. Indian visitors allocate a larger share of spending to education and government-related payments, while Canadians and many Americans spend more on food and groceries.