Krungsri Consumer reveals insights into credit card spending in the first half of the year, reaching 1.96 billion baht, growing against the backdrop of the global economic crisis.

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Krungsri Consumer weathered the economic storm in the first half of 2569, showcasing credit card spending of 1.96 billion baht, and setting a target of 4.2 billion baht for the year. The company is accelerating its strategies to cope with the rising cost of living, emphasizing prudent risk management, maintaining non-performing loans (NPLs) below the market average, and aggressively targeting new market segments in 'sink, drink, and SME' to reach the 4.2 billion baht target.

August 7, 2569 – Krungsri Consumer Credit card and personal loan providers Krungsri Credit Card, Krungsri First Choice Card, Central The One Credit Card, and Lotus Credit Card demonstrated outstanding growth that exceeded the market.

With a robust risk management strategy coupled with an understanding of consumer trends, amidst the overall Thai economy still facing challenges from rising living costs, high levels of household debt, and cautious consumer confidence recovery, the unsecured lending market remains a key player.

Mr. Athit Ruchirawat, Chief Executive Officer, Krungsri Consumer It was revealed that the performance during the first half of 2569 (January–June) demonstrated strong growth across all dimensions.

The number of new customer accounts increased by 284,100 (+4% YoY), bringing the credit card spending portfolio to 196,700 billion baht (+3% YoY), and new loans were disbursed totaling 47,200 billion baht (+4% YoY), pushing the total outstanding loan balance to 134,200 billion baht.

When analyzing the data in detail, a comparison is made with the industry overview as of May 2569. Found that Krungsri Consumer has demonstrated significantly better performance than the market average, including:

  • Credit card market: Krungsri Consumer grew in both the number of accounts (+5% vs. market +2%) and spending volume (+3% vs. market +2%), capturing a market share of 17% in terms of spending.
  • Asset Quality: Thanks to rigorous risk management, the delinquency ratio (DQ90+) for credit cards is only 1.1% – 1.2% (lower than the industry average of 2.1%), while the non-performing loan (NPL) ratio for personal loans is kept at 1.9% – 2.0% (compared to the industry average of 3.7%).

Insight into credit card spending behavior: Focusing on 'essential goods' but using 'installment payment' techniques to combat the cost of living.

The spending behavior of cardholders clearly reflects the current economic situation, with consumers prioritizing essential daily necessities. The categories with the highest spending include insurance, supermarkets/convenience stores, gas stations, online platforms, and home furnishings.

Meanwhile, categories showing outstanding growth, reflecting a health-conscious lifestyle and investment focus, include online platforms (+16%), mutual funds (+14%), beauty (+12%), sports and recreation (+10%), and gas stations (+7%). In contrast, fashion and cosmetics products have begun to slow down noticeably.

Things to watch out for. คือ The behavior of converting spending amounts into installment payments (EPR - Easy Pay Rate) to maintain financial liquidity shows that consumers are increasingly opting for installment payments in the service category, including:

  • Travel sector: Spending grew +4%, but installment payments surged +24%.
  • Health and beauty category: Spending grew +9%, but installment payments grew +20%.
  • Pet clinic category: Spending grew +7%, but installment payments grew +17%.

Unveiling the plan for the second half of 2569: Aggressively targeting new market segments in SINK-DINK and Corporate SME.

Mr. Athit further stated that for the second half of 2026, Krungsri Consumer aims for 627,000 new accounts (+9%), 420 billion baht in card spending (+6%), 98 billion baht in new loans (+4%), and 147 billion baht in outstanding loans (+3%) through three key strategies:

  • Targeting the SINK & DINK demographic (single people and childless couples). This target group in Thailand comprises 11.2 million people, with 8 Krungsri cardholders currently accounted for. Aged 25-50, they possess high purchasing power, have disposable income for saving/investment, and are willing to spend on convenience, health, image, and travel.
  • Expand the Corporate Card portfolio in the SME sector. This involves utilizing internal collaboration within the group (X-Group Synergy / ONE KRUNGSRI) to target Krungsri Bank's SME customer base of over 80,000 customers, of which there are currently fewer than 2,000 Corporate Card holders. This represents a significant market gap in helping businesses improve their liquidity management efficiency.
  • Upgrading the products of 3 main brands. BothKrungsri Credit Card Using data analytics for customer segmentation to target families with kids, sink & diners, pet parents, and SMEs, and preparing to launch new products specifically for each group. Central The One Credit Card Highlighting the unique features of “T1 Dynamic Points,” adding Surprise Day and expanding benefits to cover the entire ecosystem including fuel, supermarkets, and hospitals, in order to reduce the burden of living expenses. Krungsri First Choice Card Expanding into the personal loan market with the "Pay Anywhere with the VISA Symbol via Credit Line" feature, along with promotions offering 0% interest for up to 45 days, and expanding installment payment partnerships to include eyewear stores, pet stores, and healthcare providers.

 

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