According to a recently-released study by Chargebacks911, a fintech company providing payment dispute solutions, the average American cardholder has 5.5 active credit or debit cards, a 38 percent increase over pre-COVID-19 estimates. The data, however, is not evenly distributed between men and women.

The 2024 Cardholder Dispute Index, created in partnership with analytics and consulting firm TSG (The Strawhecker Group), revealed that women reported having 4.8 cards on average, while men held an average of 6.2. 

"The trend towards online shopping is obvious," states Jarrod Wright, the head of marketing for Chargebacks911. "eCommerce currently accounts for nearly 16 percent of all retail sales in the U.S., and estimates show that number will be over 20 percent by 2027. Americans are relying more and more on digital transactions, and payment cards allow them the flexibility to shop in a way that's in line with their preferences." 

The Cardholder Dispute Index also shows that cards remain the favorite payment method of most consumers, with 80 percent of those surveyed saying credit or debit cards are still their preferred way to buy online. This was followed by mobile wallets, which fewer than 10 percent of respondents preferred.

The 2024 Cardholder Dispute Index is available for free at Chargebacks911.com, and sheds light on cardholders' buying behaviors and payment preferences.