
Credit Card Tiers in the USA and Canada, Usage, Market Share, and Merchant Fee Impact
Credit cards dominate consumer spending in North America. In the United States in early 2026, there are about 642 million active credit card accounts and roughly 827 million cards in circulation, with approximately 82% of adults holding at least one credit card. The average U.S. cardholder carries nearly four cards, giving consumers meaningful choice over which card, and which rewards tier, they use at checkout. Canada shows a similar pattern at a smaller scale. There

