Visa data shows steady growth in December spending in Latin America and the Caribbean

MIAMI, January 14, 2026 – Visa, a global leader in digital payments, today announced that the holiday season in Latin America and the Caribbean ended on a positive note, with consumer spending accelerating across the region. According to data from Visa Consulting & Analytics (VCA), overall Visa transactions in December 2025 grew by more than 5% year-over-year compared to December 2024, reflecting both sustained holiday momentum and a notable pickup in end of year activity.

“The end of year brought a clear rise in consumer activity, with travelers and shoppers across the region embracing seamless, secure digital payments,” said Javier Vazquez, Head of Visa Consulting & Analytics for Visa Latin America and the Caribbean. “Visa is proud to have played a key role in enabling deeper forms of holiday spending through its secure and seamless digital payment infrastructure, empowering consumers to connect beyond traditional transactions.” 
 

Spending growth in experiences

• Categories such as hotel, travel expenses, auto rentals and airlines experienced an increase in spending of close to 20% compared to December 2024.
• Dining recorded growth close to 15%, while entertainment saw a rise of more than 10%, highlighting the increasing trend of experiential spending during the holidays.

Top categories

• Transportation, digital goods and computer goods and services, led e-commerce transactions during the end-of-year festivities, while food, gasoline and restaurants led in-person transactions.
   

Cross-border shopping

• Consumers in the region are turning more on overseas retailers for their holiday shopping. This year, there was a 15% increase in cross-border transactions, compared to the same period last year.  
   

Markets driving holiday spending

• The highest year-over-year increase in transactions across the region in December was observed in Puerto Rico (+35%), followed by Mexico¹ (+20%) and Panama (+20%).
   

Tap to Pay usage surges as consumers prioritize convenience

• Transactions made using Visa's contactless technology surged by more than 10% compared to December 2024. This sustained momentum reaffirms strong demand for payment solutions that deliver speed, convenience, and security in today’s retail environment.
   

International tourism 

• VCA data showed that cross border transactions into Latin America and the Caribbean grew by 15% in December 2025, indicating that the region continued to be a strong destination for international tourism, particularly for travelers from the United States, Canada and Spain.
• Similarly, data showed a 15% increase in cross-border transactions from Latin Americans travelling abroad in December 2025. This trend signals strong spending confidence and continued prioritization of experiences – with the United States, Spain and Portugal being the top destinations for Latin Americans this December.
   

Peak transaction day

• December 23 recorded the highest volume of Visa transactions in 2025. This consistent behavior shows that consumers tend to concentrate their spending as major year‑end events approach.

VCA’s consulting team analyzed data related to consumer transactions that took place through VisaNet from December 1-31, 2025 vs December 1-31, 2024, excluding Visa Direct-related transactions and spend. These growth percentages are related to transactions numbers in US dollars and local currency. The countries analyzed included Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico¹ , Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.

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About Visa
Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com. 

¹For data only reflects international consumer transactions made with Visa cards issued outside of Mexico from December 1–31, 2025, compared with December 1–31, 2024.