STAR BUSINESS REPORT

Bangladesh’s digital transactions grew 13 percent year-on-year in both volume and value in 2025, with the identical growth rate across both metrics pointing to a balanced and sustainable expansion of the country’s payment ecosystem.

According to Bangladesh Bank’s Payment Systems Report 2025, digital transaction volume rose from 482.7 crore in 2024 to 546.3 crore in 2025, while transaction value climbed from Tk 90.38 lakh crore to Tk 102.24 lakh crore over the same period.

The central bank said the symmetrical growth indicates that users are no longer confining digital payments to small transactions such as mobile recharges but are now using these channels for larger commitments, including utility bill payments, tuition fees, and high-value e-commerce purchases.

“Digital is no longer an experiment; it is a habit,” the report said.

BB said the 13 percent alignment between volume and value signals that digital infrastructure has become reliable enough to handle both frequency and magnitude – the hallmark of a mature transition in which digital rails are carrying not just more transactions but also greater economic weight.

Non-digital transactions recorded the sharpest growth in volume, rising 25 percent to 539.5 crore.

However, the value of transactions through these channels fell 7 percent year-on-year to Tk 209.48 lakh crore.

The report said the paradox resolves itself as people are transacting more often through non-digital channels but moving less money each time, with high-value settlements migrating to digital infrastructure.

Total transaction volume across both categories rose 19 percent to 1,085.9 crore, while total transaction value edged down 1 percent to Tk 311.72 lakh crore.