January mobile payment consumption shows a good growth trend

Data from the UnionPay platform shows that mobile payment consumption in January was strong. First, merchandise consumption remained steadily growing, with transaction counts in January 2026 increasing by 16.8% year-on-year. Second, service consumption demonstrated significant vitality and potential, with transaction counts in January 2026 up by 8.6% year-on-year. Specifically, transactions in leisure and entertainment scenes increased by 2.8% in amount and 6.6% in count compared to the previous year. Additionally, the number and amount of transactions for group activities and gatherings during New Year’s Day across various regions increased, with merchant transactions for group activities and team-building exercises rising by 35.5% and 22.5%, respectively. Third, health-related consumption demand grew, with medical and health scene transaction counts and amounts in January 2026 increasing by 5.4% and 8.6% year-on-year. Experts say that transaction data from the UnionPay platform partly reflects the public’s daily consumption patterns and the growth trend of domestic demand. Overall, service consumption is currently on a positive trend.