Gift card statistics keep getting bigger in every direction: more gift card spending, faster growth in digital gift card statistics, and rising attention on gift card fraud statistics and unused gift card balances.
Below is a statistics-heavy, WordPress-ready breakdown of the most important gift card market statistics for 2024–2026, plus forecast numbers through 2034.
Top Gift Card Statistics (Quick Facts)
| Gift card statistic | Number | Year | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global gift card market size | $1.400T | 2025 | Baseline for global gift card market statistics |
| Global gift card market forecast | $2.221T | 2034 | Long-run growth outlook for gift card market size |
| U.S. gift card & incentive card market size | $207.09B | 2025 | Scale of U.S. gift card market statistics |
| Holiday gift card spending (U.S.) | $29.0B | 2025 | Seasonality dominates gift card spending statistics |
| Holiday gift card spending (U.S.) | $28.6B | 2024 | Year-over-year benchmark for gift card spending |
| Share of U.S. adults with at least one unused gift card | 43% | 2024 | Core unused gift card statistics |
| Average unused gift card value per person | $244 | 2024 | “Hidden money” in unused gift card balances |
| Total unused gift card value (U.S.) | ~$27B | 2024 | Aggregate unused gift card balances statistic |
| Consumers planning to buy gift cards (holiday survey) | 81% | 2025 | Consumer intent is a leading indicator for gift card sales |
| Government imposter scam losses (FTC data) | $789M | 2024 | Context for gift card scam and imposter scam trends |
| Fraud losses reported to FTC (all categories) | $12.5B+ | 2024 | Macro fraud context that includes gift card fraud statistics |
Gift Card Market Size Statistics (Global Gift Card Market)
When people search for gift card statistics, the first question is usually: “How big is the gift card market size?” Multiple industry trackers publish global gift card market statistics. One widely cited set of gift card market size statistics pegs the global market at $1.400 trillion in 2025 and projects growth to $2.221 trillion by 2034.
Gift Card Market Size Forecast Chart (2025–2034)
Chart note: 2025, 2026, and 2034 are direct market figures. Intermediate years are estimated using the stated CAGR as a smooth growth curve for visualization.
Global gift card market size (USD trillions)
Visualization uses 2034 as the 100% reference bar.
U.S. Gift Card Market Statistics
On the country level, U.S. gift card market statistics show how gift cards function as both consumer gifts (B2C) and business incentives (B2B). One market estimate values the U.S. gift card and incentive card market at $207.09 billion in 2025 and projects it to reach $300.73 billion by 2031.
Gift Card Spending Statistics: Holiday Gift Card Sales and Seasonal Demand
Gift card spending statistics are heavily seasonal. U.S. holiday shopping (especially late November through December) drives a huge portion of annual gift card volume.
Holiday Gift Card Spending (U.S.)
- $29.1 billion in consumer spending on gift cards during the 2025 holiday period (NRF-reported holiday outlook numbers commonly cited for the season).
- $28.6 billion in gift card spending in 2024, making 2025 a year-over-year increase in holiday gift card sales.
These gift card spending statistics matter because they show why gift card inventory, fraud controls, and customer support workloads spike during the holidays.
Consumer Gift Card Statistics: Buying Behavior and Brand Preferences
Beyond market size, the most useful gift card statistics explain what consumers actually do: how many plan to buy gift cards, which brands they pick, and how gift cards compete with other gift categories.
Percent of Consumers Buying Gift Cards
- 81% of consumers said they plan to buy gift cards in a 2025 consumer holiday retail shopping survey.
Most Selected Gift Card Brands (Survey-Based Gift Card Preferences)
- Among consumers planning to buy gift cards, Amazon was selected by 82% of shoppers in that same survey set.
- Walmart followed at 39%, then Target at 34%.
These consumer gift card statistics highlight a major pattern: shoppers tend to favor retailers with broad product selection (general marketplaces and big-box stores), because recipients can “self-select” value even if the gift giver guessed wrong.
Unused Gift Card Statistics: Unredeemed Gift Cards, Breakage, and “Hidden Money”
Unused gift card statistics are one of the most searched categories in gift card research. “Breakage” refers to gift card balances that are never redeemed (or not redeemed for long periods). This impacts consumers, merchants, and state unclaimed property rules.
Unused Gift Card Balances in the U.S.
- 43% of Americans have at least one unused gift card, gift voucher, or store credit.
- The average unused value is $244 per person.
- The estimated national total is about $27 billion in unused gift card value.
Unused Gift Card Statistics by Income and Age (Survey Highlights)
- Households with $100,000+ income were more likely to have unused gift cards in the survey findings.
- Millennials had the highest average unused value in the press-release summary ($332).
Company-Level Breakage Example (Corporate Gift Card Liabilities)
Some public companies disclose unredeemed gift card liabilities and breakage recognition. For example, Starbucks has reported very large unredeemed gift card balances (in the billions), along with annual breakage revenue recognition in company reporting summaries covered by financial press.
Digital Gift Card Statistics: E-Gift Cards and Digital Gift Card Market Growth
Digital delivery is a major driver of modern gift card statistics. Digital gift cards (e-gift cards) benefit from instant delivery, easier storage in wallets/apps, and better integration into loyalty programs.
Digital Gift Card Market Size (Standalone Digital Gift Card Statistics)
- The digital gift card market was estimated at $581.38B in 2025 and projected to grow to $680.35B in 2026 (market report forecast figures).
E-Gift Card Growth vs. Traditional Gift Cards
Some market segmentation figures show:
- Closed-loop gift cards holding a large share in 2024 segmentation (example figure: 27.88% share for a closed-loop segment in one market release).
- E-gift cards forecast to grow at a faster pace than many physical categories (example figure: 15.42% CAGR noted in one market release summary for the e-gift segment).
In plain terms: digital gift card statistics tend to show higher growth rates because digital reduces friction for both the buyer (instant send) and the merchant (lower distribution cost, faster activation, and stronger fraud monitoring signals).
Gift Card Fraud Statistics: Gift Card Scams, Imposter Scams, and Reported Losses
Gift card fraud statistics are now a major part of the overall gift card conversation. Fraud patterns include: scam-driven purchases (victims are told to pay with gift cards), stolen gift card codes, card draining, tampering on store racks, and social engineering.
Gift Cards as a Scam Payment Method (FTC-Referenced Gift Card Scam Statistics)
- FTC guidance and summaries have repeatedly highlighted gift cards as a top payment method in scam reports, particularly in imposter scams.
- A consumer-protection summary notes that about one in four people who reported losing money to fraud said they paid with a gift card, and gift cards have ranked as the most common reported fraud payment method for multiple years.
Gift Card Scam Losses: Example Published Figures
- A Reuters report (covering court filings and fraud context) cited FTC figures showing Americans lost $217 million in gift card or reload fraud in 2023.
- Broader FTC data shows total reported consumer fraud losses of $12.5 billion+ in 2024, providing context for the scale of scam activity overall.
Government Imposter Scam Losses (Context for Gift Card Fraud Statistics)
- FTC-reported government imposter scam losses reached $789 million in 2024.
Why mention this in a gift card statistics article? Because imposter scams are among the scam types most commonly associated with gift card payment demands (victims are instructed to buy gift cards and share the code).
Gift Card Statistics by Use Case: B2C Gifting vs. B2B Incentives
Gift card market statistics include both consumer gifting (birthdays, holidays, last-minute gifts) and business purchasing (employee rewards, sales incentives, customer promotions).
B2C Gift Card Statistics (Individuals)
- Market segmentation snapshots commonly show individuals (B2C) as the largest share of gift card consumption (example: 59.10% share in a 2024 segmentation summary).
B2B Gift Card Statistics (Corporate)
- Some segment forecasts show faster growth rates for business/corporate gift card use (example: 14.61% CAGR from 2025 to 2034 in a segmentation summary).
In practice, B2B growth is often tied to HR recognition programs, customer loyalty, and digital distribution at scale (email and app-based delivery).
Gift Card Statistics: What These Numbers Mean (Trends Summary)
- Gift card market size is measured in trillions globally, making gift cards a major payments-and-retail category, not a niche product.
- Gift card spending statistics show the holiday season as a peak period—creating predictable demand spikes and predictable fraud spikes.
- Digital gift card statistics show rapid growth, with digital gift cards rising due to immediacy and wallet/app integration.
- Unused gift card statistics show a large pool of “breakage” or delayed redemption—tens of billions of dollars in the U.S. alone per survey estimates.
- Gift card fraud statistics show gift cards remain a common scam payment method, frequently linked to imposter scams.
FAQ: Gift Card Statistics (People Also Ask)
How big is the gift card market?
Global gift card market size statistics commonly place the market at roughly $1.4 trillion in 2025 with forecasts reaching above $2.2 trillion by 2034 (depending on the source and methodology).
How many people have unused gift cards?
In the U.S., survey-based unused gift card statistics found 43% of adults have at least one unused gift card, voucher, or store credit, averaging $244 in unused value per person, totaling about $27 billion nationwide.
Are gift cards a common scam payment method?
Yes. Consumer-protection summaries based on FTC reporting frequently describe gift cards as a top payment method reported in scam losses, with “about one in four” fraud loss reports indicating gift card payment in some summaries, and strong links to imposter scams.
How much do people spend on gift cards during the holidays?
Gift card spending statistics from U.S. retail reporting show holiday-season gift card spending around $28.6 billion in 2024 and about $29+ billion in 2025, underscoring how central gift cards are to seasonal retail.
Sources (Exact URLs)
- Fortune Business Insights – Gift Card Market Size & Forecast: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/gift-card-market-111784
- Mordor Intelligence – US Gift Card and Incentive Card Market (2025 value; 2026–2031 forecast): https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/us-gift-card-and-incentive-card-market
- NRF – Gift cards gain popularity; holiday gift card spending figures: https://nrf.com/blog/gift-cards-gain-popularity-as-top-choice-for-holiday-shoppers-in-2025
- Optimove – 2025 Consumer Holiday Retail Shopping Survey (gift card intent and brand preferences): https://www.optimove.com/resources/reports/2025-consumer-holiday-retail-shopping-survey
- Bankrate – 43% unused gift cards; $244 average; survey details: https://www.bankrate.com/credit-cards/news/gift-cards-survey/
- Bankrate press release PDF – ~$27B unused value; $244 average; millennials $332: https://www.bankrate.com/f/102997/x/c53caa68d4/gift-card-survey-press-release.pdf
- FTC – Press release on 2024 fraud losses ($12.5B+): https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/03/new-ftc-data-show-big-jump-reported-losses-fraud-125-billion-2024
- FTC – Top scams of 2024 (payment method loss context): https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/03/top-scams-2024
- FTC – Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2024 (detailed fraud reporting tables): https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/csn-annual-data-book-2024.pdf
- FTC – Gift cards as scammers’ favorite payment method (historical FTC release): https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2020/12/ftc-data-show-gift-cards-remain-scammers-favorite-payment-method
- NARFE PDF – “Protect Yourself from Gift Card Scams” (FTC-referenced “one in four” summary): https://www.narfe.org/chapter0151/wp-content/uploads/sites/62/2024/09/Gift-Card-Scams.pdf
- Reuters – Gift card fraud lawsuit context; FTC 2023 gift card/reload loss figure cited: https://www.reuters.com/legal/google-defeats-lawsuit-over-gift-card-fraud-2024-11-05/
- The Business Research Company – Digital gift card market size (2025–2026): https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/digital-gift-card-global-market-report
- GlobeNewswire – Gift cards market segmentation figures (closed-loop share; e-gift CAGR; B2C/B2B shares): https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/08/29/3141633/0/en/Gift-Cards-Market-Size-to-Exceed-USD-3-81-Trillion-by-2034-Driven-by-Digital-Payments-and-E-Commerce-Growth.html