Owns a debit card in Malawi

Malawi: Owns a debit card was 4.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
4.2%
Change on year
down 46.5%
World rank
115th
of 118 countries
All-time high
11.7%
in 2014
All-time low
4.2%
in 2024
Years of data
5
2011–2024

Owns a debit card in Malawi, 2011–2024

02.557.51012.52011201720242011: 9.4 % age 15+2014: 11.7 % age 15+2017: 11.2 % age 15+2021: 7.9 % age 15+2024: 4.2 % age 15+

Source: Global Findex Database. Measured in % age 15+.

Analysis

Malawi recorded 4.2% for owns a debit card in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 46.5% on the previous year and down 64.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, owns a debit card in Malawi peaked at 11.7% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 4.2%, in 2024.

Malawi ranks 115th of 118 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Owns a debit card in Malawi, year by year

Annual values for Owns a debit card (% age 15+) in Malawi, 2011 to 2024.
Year % age 15+ Change
2011 9.4%
2014 11.7% +24.9%
2017 11.2% -4.4%
2021 7.9% -29.4%
2024 4.2% -46.5%

Malawi compared with similar countries

  • Malawi's 4.2% is below the median for low income countries, which is 5.1%, 83% of the median. (9 countries reporting)
  • Malawi's 4.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.7%, 43% of the median. (26 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 10.7% 9.4% 11.7% 3
2020s 6.1% 4.2% 7.9% 2

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 112 Democratic Republic of Congo 5.3% compare
  2. 113 Chad 5.1% compare
  3. 114 Benin 4.8% compare
  4. 116 Sierra Leone 3.5% compare
  5. 117 Madagascar 2.5% compare
  6. 118 Niger 1.8% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More reference data data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is owns a debit card in Malawi?
Owns a debit card in Malawi was 4.2% in 2024, according to Global Findex Database.
What is the highest owns a debit card recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 11.7% in 2014.
What is the lowest owns a debit card recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 4.2% in 2024.
How does Malawi rank for owns a debit card?
Malawi ranks 115th out of 118 countries with data for 2024.
Is owns a debit card rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is down 64.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Malawi data come from?
The figures come from Global Findex Database, published as part of Owns a debit card (% age 15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Owns a debit card in Malawi. Statizoid, drawing on Global Findex Database. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/owns-a-debit-card-percent-age-15/malawi/

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About this data

Indicator
Owns a debit card (% age 15+)
Unit
% age 15+
Source
Global Findex Database
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
128 places, 640 data points, 2011–2024
Last refreshed

The percentage of respondents who report having an ATM or debit card, (% age 15+)