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Akbar Novruz

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The volume of domestic cashless transactions in Azerbaijan has grown significantly, supported by a steady increase in the number of payment cards in circulation, AzerNEWS reports.

According to the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, the number of payment cards rose by 62,000 units compared to the previous month, reaching 22.409 million by the end of March 2026. This indicator increased by 10% compared to the same period last year. Debit cards saw a 12% rise, while the number of credit cards declined by 9%.

The expansion in card usage has positively impacted non-cash transactions. In March 2026, the volume of domestic cashless payments made via cards reached 9.560 million manats (approximately $5.62 million), marking a 46% increase compared to the same period last year.

A significant portion of these transactions was driven by e-commerce, which accounted for 8.291 million manats (approximately $4.88 million). Meanwhile, 1.267 million manats (approximately $745,000) were processed through POS terminals, and 2 million manats (approximately $1.18 million) via self-service terminals and ATMs.

Since the beginning of the year, cashless domestic transactions have made up 69.7% of total card operations in the country, highlighting the ongoing shift toward digital payment methods and the strengthening of Azerbaijan’s cashless economy.