Debit cards, once the darling of Indian consumers, have slipped down the payments order, looking increasingly like the unlucky middle child. Their credit siblings are outperforming them in a surprising shift in a post-Covid market.

Banks are pushing more credit cards than ever before, and fintech startups involved in distribution are also helping popularise the mode, typically used for large purchases. The October transaction data for the past three years, as shared by the Reserve Bank of India, shows the upward trajectory.