Strategies for Maximizing Debit Card Use

We’ve come a long way since ATM cards launched at our bank in 1982: Now, debit cards are the payment of choice. According to a U.S. News and World Report study, 56% of consumers indicate they most frequently use debit cards for everyday purchases. This preference translates to debit card volume for community banks, and with it, an additional line of revenue.

And usage continues to rise. At my bank alone, from 2024 to 2025, we saw an increase of 3.73% in total debit cards issued and an increase of 3.55% in the number of transactions. Most of our accounts have at least one debit card associated with them, and debit card volume is climbing in e-wallets, with a 6% increase year over year. Factor in other advances, like tap-to-pay at the point of sale and cardless debit cards in the e-wallet, and there’s no doubt that debit volume will soar into the future.

Driving debit card volume

In this era of debit dominance, community banks have the opportunity to both support customers’ payment preferences and grow their debit card revenues. It comes down to strategically aligning your product with your community’s areas of interest and getting creative to incentivize card use.

For instance, at Citizens Bank of Las Cruces, we host a high school debit card program. Now celebrating more than a decade of impact, this program allows members of the community to choose a custom debit card affiliated with a local high school. With each debit transaction, we donate to the school on the card. Since its inception, the program has contributed more than $320,000 to area schools, helping cover essential expenses such as testing fees, school supplies, classroom resources, and graduation costs for students who need assistance. At the same time, it encourages customers to use their debit card on a regular basis, knowing that it supports the school of their choice.

While your community may benefit from a different type of incentive, by aligning community needs with your debit card offering, you can both support your customers and deepen their engagement with your bank. For community banks to remain competitive, we need to think outside the box and initiate programs like this, ones that combine our deep connection with and knowledge of the communities we serve with a product offering. This approach becomes our strategic differentiator in a sea of payments possibilities.

Support for next-gen solutions

Overall, debit cards are essential to today’s product portfolio, and community banks need competitive offerings to flourish. Fortunately, we can lean on ICBA Payments as a partner in maximizing debit card opportunities. Through best-in-class products and preferred pricing through their unmatched collective strength, ICBA Payments provides the debit card solutions, vendor partnerships, and dedicated support that help community banks excel in today’s dynamic payments environment. And now’s the time to take a hard look at your program to uncover ways to maximize its potential.