Gift Card Market Approaches Half-Trillion Dollars in the U.S. in 2026

The U.S. gift card market is projected to generate more than $500 billion in revenue in 2026, growing at a double-digit annual rate, according to recent market research. Closed-loop cards tied to a specific retailer continue to make up the majority of cards purchased, though open-loop cards usable anywhere remain a meaningful and growing segment.

That growth has a flip side familiar to regular readers of this site: gift cards remain one of scammers' preferred payment methods precisely because they function like untraceable cash once activated. Billions of dollars in gift card value also go unused by U.S. consumers every year, representing a pool of value that resale marketplaces and exchange services are increasingly built to capture.

For anyone holding an unused card, that combination of market growth and unused-value volume translates into more competitive exchange rates across resale marketplaces than in past years, particularly for cards tied to large, widely used retailers.

See our gift card exchange comparison for current typical payout rates by channel.