Over the past three years, the number of open card accounts in Ukraine has increased from 56.4 million to 71.35 million, which reflects the trend of active use of non -cash payments. But does this really indicate the enrichment of Ukrainians? According to experts, the increase in the number of cards can be associated not only with economic changes, but also with other factors such as regulatory restrictions, migration and changes in the financial habits of the population.
At the beginning of 2025, there are more than 185 million accounts in Ukraine, of which 166.2 million are current accounts of individuals. This means that every Ukrainian, on average, has two card accounts. Why? The absence of restrictions on the number of accounts and cards for one person allows you to open accounts with different banks, in particular for allocation of funds or through regulatory limits for transfers. One of the main factors of increasing the number of cards is the restrictions established by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) for transfers between cards. From April 1, 2025, these limits will be canceled, but by this time many people have opened additional cards in order to be able to make larger transfers, not exceeding the restrictions. This can be one of the reasons for the popularity of card accounts. The increase in the number of cards can also be associated with the migration of Ukrainians abroad. Many people open cards to make non -cash payments abroad, which is caused by the convenience of such payments and the desire to avoid currency exchange. However, this reason is not the main one, because many transactions are made through old cards. Non -cash operations are becoming increasingly popular with Ukrainians. According to the National Bank, in 2024, 94.6% of operations were carried out without cash. This includes payments in the trading network, card transfers and online purchases. Interest in non -cash payments is associated with various factors, including war, energy supply and changes in consumer habits. As of April 1, 2025, there were UAH 805.1 billion in the cash circulation of Ukraine. Although the increase in cash is observed in the spring, the decrease in the amount of money in circulation in the first half of the year is explained by seasonal factors. Inflation and low deposit rates also affect people's desires to keep funds in accounts, not in cash.
In case of suspicion of fraud, banks can block cards. At the same time, according to experts, banks do not reason. If your card is blocked, you should contact the bank and provide documents confirming the legality of the funds. Increasing limitations for translations is possible if you can confirm the source of funds.
