Visa's annual Retail Spend Monitor reported that overall U.S. holiday retail spending increased 4.2% year-over-year. This data covers all payment types and is not adjusted for inflation.
Online retail spending rose 7.8%, driven by early promotions and convenience. Despite this growth, in-store shopping remained dominant, accounting for 73% of the total holiday payment volume.
Among spending categories, electronics saw a 5.8% jump. Visa attributed this increase to the demand for high-performance devices related to the age of AI.
Positive spending momentum was also noted across key global markets. Canada saw a 4.4% rise, the U.K. increased 3.6%, and Australia posted a 5.0% gain.