Non-cash payments in Azerbaijan rose sharply in February 2026,
increasing by 15% year-on-year to reach 8.2 billion manats,
according to the Central Bank of Azerbaijan,
AzerNEWS reports.
E-commerce accounted for the overwhelming majority of
transactions, totaling 7.171 billion manats, or 87.5% of all
non-cash payments. Payments through POS terminals reached 1.026
billion manats, while self-service terminals accounted for 3
million manats.
Since the beginning of the year, non-cash domestic transactions
using payment cards have made up 69.7% of total card transaction
volume, highlighting the growing shift toward digital payments.
As of March 1, the number of payment cards in the country
reached 22.347 million, marking a monthly increase of 0.9%, a rise
of 1.7% since the start of the year, and a 10.4% increase compared
to the same period in 2025.
Over the past year, debit cards grew by 12.8% to 20.275 million,
while credit cards declined by 8.5% to 2.072 million. In February
alone, debit card turnover amounted to 11.566 billion manats, up
13.6% year-on-year, while credit card turnover fell by 19.6% to 639
million manats.
Infrastructure supporting cashless payments also expanded
significantly. The number of ATMs increased by 7%, while POS
terminals surged by 49.1%, reaching 3,593 and 185,361 units
respectively, with a large concentration in Baku.
Globally recognized payment systems such as Visa, Mastercard,
American Express, Diners Club International, and JCB continue to
operate in cooperation with Azerbaijani banks, supporting the
country’s rapidly expanding digital payment ecosystem.