Mexico card payments by economic sector Banxico data, Digi Mart USA News (Mexico): Card payments in Mexico show sharp differences between economic sectors, with retail and self-service stores accounting for the largest transaction volumes, while daycare centers and parking lots record the lowest levels with these payment methods.
According to data from Banco de México (Banxico), the total amount processed through various bank cards from January 1 to October 15, 2026, reached 5.97 trillion pesos. However, the distribution shows that adoption of digital payments is uneven.
This contrast comes as the government of President Claudia Sheinbaum promotes the digitalization of the economy through the new Digital Economy Law, which seeks to reduce cash use in some sectors.
Large surface stores, a category that includes self-service stores, retail chains, department stores and similar establishments, processed operations worth 1.3 trillion pesos. Retail sales ranked second, with 956,908 million pesos over the same period.
The segment labeled “other,” for which Banxico did not specify activities, reported 579,525 million pesos. Payment aggregators or facilitators, which allow businesses to accept cards through point-of-sale terminals such as Mercado Pago or Clip, accumulated 458,477 million pesos in transactions.
Gas stations recorded 435,940 million pesos.
At the other end, daycare centers ranked last among the sectors identified by Banxico, with only 339.9 million pesos processed through the same period. Supermarkets ranked second from the bottom with 977.3 million pesos, followed by parking lots, which reported 2.0 million pesos.
The list continues with car rentals, which accumulated 4,862 million pesos, and tolls, meaning payments at toll booths, with a total of 16,005 million pesos. These figures highlight the contrast between activities that handle large volumes of electronic payments and others where card transactions still represent considerably smaller amounts.
President Sheinbaum recently enacted the Digital Economy Law, which was approved by Congress a few days earlier, as the government advances its plan to reduce cash payments and accelerate financial digitalization in the country. The law has been published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF), and economic operations carried out through digital and electronic means will now be regulated under new rules.
According to the publication, 15 days after the law takes effect, the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) will determine the strategic sectors where digital and electronic payments will be the only accepted form of payment. Within 15 business days following that determination, competent authorities must issue provisions setting the conditions, requirements and operating obligations for accepting digital and electronic payment methods, according to the DOF.
The legislation also requires Mexican authorities to implement technology solutions, enabled by the Agency for Digital Transformation and Telecommunications (ATDT), to help businesses accept digital payments and guarantee transaction security. Tools include a digital Unique Population Registry Code (CURP), a Digital Citizen File for individuals and companies, a National Digital Investment Window and a Commercial Establishments Platform.
The authorities must also standardize procedures related to economic development, reduce bureaucracy and facilitate compliance with the new provisions, which took effect on November 5. The decree also includes connectivity measures intended to encourage adoption of these payment methods by both businesses and citizens.
As the government seeks to expand digital tools for the Mexican economy, Banxico data show that card use remains far from increasing in some productive sectors.
