Israelis Spent Record NIS 109 Billion on Credit Cards During Summer Vacation

Israeli consumers spent a record NIS 109 billion using credit cards during the recent summer vacation period, marking a 7.9% increase compared to the previous year, according to data released by Shva, a credit card clearing company. This spending surge occurred despite security challenges, with the 2025 summer vacation following Operation "With a Lion's Strength" and preceding the return of hostages, while the 2026 summer was relatively calm.

Over the past four years, credit card spending during the summer vacation has surged by 40% in nominal terms. In 2022, the year after the COVID-19 pandemic, spending stood at NIS 77.8 billion. In real terms, this represents a 24% increase.

Data for the past month shows that debit card spending reached NIS 54 billion, a 10% rise year-over-year. The average daily debit transaction was NIS 1.75 billion, a slight decrease of 1.4% from July. Spending on physical transactions, as opposed to remote purchases, hit a daily average high of NIS 758 million, suggesting increased time spent outside the home.

Online spending in August amounted to NIS 30.6 billion, an 11.5% increase from the previous year. The average daily online spending in August was NIS 987.6 million, a 4.2% decrease compared to July. Cash withdrawals from ATMs totaled NIS 5.9 billion, showing no significant change from the prior year, with a daily average withdrawal of NIS 190.8 million, down 2.4% from July.