Election-Day Spending by Credit Cards Surges 26.5% From Previous Election

Jerusalem, 27 October, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israeli consumers spent NIS 250.78 million ($69 million) using payment cards between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. Tuesday, a 26.5% increase from the same hours during the November 2022 Knesset election, according to Shva, Israel’s national payments operator. Spending then totaled NIS 198.31 million ($54.5 million). The latest figure also represents a 10.6% increase over the 2024 municipal election.

Spending peaked at 10:57 a.m., when transactions totaled approximately NIS 2.39 million ($660,000) in a single minute, exceeding 11,300 transactions.

Fintech company Hyp reported a 13% increase in transactions across the economy by 10 a.m. compared with the same time the previous Tuesday. Clothing purchases surged 198%, while restaurant and cafe transactions rose 10%. The average restaurant transaction climbed 50%, from NIS 50 to NIS 75. Meanwhile, food-delivery transactions plunged 78% as Israelis took advantage of Election Day to go out.