India Spends Big With Credit Cards In Ecommerce, Fest Tango

A surge in ecommerce deals during the October 2025 festival season pushed India’s credit card spending to record highs.

October 2025 saw a sharp spike in online sales. Credit card spending reached ₹2.14 lakh crore in October 2025. This was 19.6 percent higher than the ₹1.79 lakh crore recorded in October 2024. The jump was linked to major ecommerce discount events across India.

Retail trackers noted that buyers began placing orders early. Large platforms rolled out preview deals and zero-cost EMI plans in the last week of September. That early push shaped the October cycle.

What Falls Under Credit Card Spending in India?

Card spending covers four parts. These are point-of-sale activity, ecommerce payments, EMI conversions and standing digital instructions. RBI includes these in its monthly payments bulletin released on the central bank site.

During the Diwali cycle of October 2025, ecommerce transactions showed sharper movement. A Moneycontrol report published on 30 October 2025 recorded a 34.8 percent jump in value on credit cards used on online platforms for the festival period of 2025. The report also noted a 26.8 percent rise in transaction count for the same period.

RBI and NPCI do not publish monthly online versus offline card splits. Only aggregate digital payment numbers appear in public reports. The table below draws only from official government datasets.

These numbers show the environment in which rising credit card spending in India expanded during the 2025 festival window.

Rising Credit Card Spending in August and September 2025 Ahead of the Festival Peak

Growth continued in August 2025. A Loansjagat article dated 27th September 2025 showed ₹1.91 trillion in card spending for August 2025. This was almost 14 percent higher than August 2024. These months showed a steady climb into the October high. RBI and Ministry of Finance papers set the official base for retail payments and credit numbers.

The following table reflects these sources. These papers build the wider picture that frames card spending behaviour.

These papers form the foundation for how credit and payments behaviour is assessed.

Are Rising Microfinance Loan Defaults A Warning Signal For Households?

During the 2022 and 2023 festival seasons, banks held tighter filters for new card approvals. Many lenders raised internal limits and slowed fresh issuance. This changed during the 2025 cycle. Banks increased card rollouts and pushed more EMI-based offers across electronics and appliances.

RBI also issued several billing and fee-related circulars during 2023 and 2024. These were aimed at stronger disclosure for interest charges and transaction fees. These rules supported smooth activity during the October 2025 surge when transaction loads climbed during peak sale hours.

Conclusion 

The October 2025 festival cycle shows how rising credit card spending in India now rests on ecommerce events and structured EMI plans. The wider scene also includes rising microfinance loan defaults, which point to stress in low-income credit pockets. Together these trends show how household finance patterns continue to shift across India.
 

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