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Consumer spending in the Azores opened 2026 on an upward note, reflecting a steady shift toward electronic payments and away from traditional cash withdrawals.

According to data released by the Azores Regional Statistics Service (SREA), purchases made through point-of-sale terminals totaled approximately €156 million in January 2026 — an 8.0 percent increase compared with the same month a year earlier. In contrast, withdrawals from automated teller machines fell to about €40.3 million, marking a 2.5 percent decline year over year.

The growth in spending was driven largely by cards issued by domestic banks. Transactions made with national bank cards reached €146.3 million, up 9.2 percent from January 2025. International bank cards, by comparison, accounted for roughly €9.7 million in purchases, a 7.0 percent decrease from the previous year.

In absolute terms, point-of-sale purchases were €11.6 million higher than in January 2025, when spending stood at roughly €144.5 million.

Cash withdrawals declined across the board. Withdrawals using national cards totaled about €39.3 million, down 2.0 percent. International withdrawals dropped more sharply, to approximately €1.0 million — a 17.9 percent decrease year over year.

Service payments made through ATMs also fell, reaching €8.8 million in January, an 8.6 percent decline compared with the same period in 2025.

When combining point-of-sale purchases and ATM withdrawals, total transaction volume in the region reached approximately €196.3 million in January, representing a 5.7 percent increase from a year earlier.

Every island recorded positive year-over-year growth in overall transaction volume. The strongest gains were seen in Pico (+15.3 percent) and Corvo (+15.2 percent), followed by Terceira (+6.7 percent), Faial (+5.5 percent), and São Miguel (+4.9 percent). In absolute terms, São Miguel accounted for the largest share of spending, with €117.6 million — nearly 60 percent of the regional total — followed by Terceira (€42.4 million; 21.6 percent), Faial (€10.7 million; 5.4 percent), and Pico (€9.8 million; 5.0 percent).

Over the past 12 months, transactions of national origin — including domestic purchases at point-of-sale terminals and domestic ATM withdrawals — represented 88.1 percent of all purchases and withdrawals recorded across the archipelago.

The figures suggest not only a resilient consumer base in the islands, but a continuing evolution in how money moves across this Atlantic economy: less through the slot of the ATM, more through the quiet, ubiquitous swipe of the card.

In Diário dos Açores-Paulo Viveiros-director

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.