Debit Card Usage Reaches All-Time High

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- More than 71 percent of American adult consumers now have a debit card, according to Debit Cards in the U.S., 5th Edition, a new report by Packaged Facts.

In just five years, the number of U.S. consumers owning a debit card has increased nearly 14 percent. In addition, the market researcher expects debit volume to increase by more than 7 percent both this year and in 2015.

According to Packaged Facts, approximately 52 percent of U.S. adults are engaged debit card users, meaning they have used a branded Visa or MasterCard debit card for purchases in the past 30 days, an increase of almost 17 percent when compared to 2010-2013. Today's engaged debit card usage marks a record, stated David Sprinkle, research director for Packaged Facts.

As for reasons for why debit card usage has risen so dramatically, a healthier economy and successful debit card marketing strategies top the list, the report concluded.

"This growth has continued even though programs that reward debit card use are becoming increasingly rare, which suggests that while perks for usage are nice, the debit card has moved into a stage where usage is so permeated and expected that incentives for use are not needed as much," the report stated.

For more information on the research report, visit www.marketresearch.com.

Rockville, Md.-based Packaged Facts is a division of MarketResearch.com, a publisher of market intelligence on a wide range of consumer market topics.