After several years of decline, the French Cartes Bancaires (CB) network is regaining market share in France. According to a recent study, its share rose to 63,6% in the second half of 2025, compared to 61,4% at the beginning of the year, marking its first rebound since 2021 against the American giants Visa and Mastercard.
This recovery remains relative, however. Since 2021, the CB network had lost nearly 26 points of market share, falling from nearly 90% to just over 63%, due in particular to the rise of international players and online banks favoring their solutions.
The key role of mobile payment
Several factors explain this resurgence. The return of "co-branded" cards combining CB with Visa or Mastercard in certain banking networks, as well as the integration of CB with Apple Pay, have contributed to reviving its use.
In a context of strong growth in mobile payments, which are gradually becoming part of French people's habits, the CB network is attempting to regain ground. With tens of millions of cards in circulation and billions of transactions each year, it remains a key player in the payments landscape, but still under pressure from international competition.
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