Fifty-five percent of US adults hold at least one unused gift card, with an average value of $186. The total value of forgotten US gift cards reached $15.7 billion last year, creating a significant target for fraud and dormancy.
Key Takeaways
- 55% of US adults have at least one unused gift card averaging $186 value 2023
- Women receive 52% more gift cards than men annually US 2023
- Millennials hold 40% of all unused gift card balances 2023
- 22% of unused gift cards dormant over 5 years in US 2023
- Average dormancy period for unused gift cards is 14 months US 2022
- 12% of gift cards remain unused after 3 years globally 2023
- Unused gift card fraud losses reached $150 million in US 2023
- 24% increase in gift card draining scams reported 2023
- $1.2 billion global losses from unused gift card fraud 2022
- In 2023, the total value of unused gift cards in the United States was estimated at $15.7 billion
- Globally, unused gift cards amounted to over $21 billion in unused balances as of 2022
- The US gift card market size reached $167 billion in sales in 2023, with 20% remaining unused
- In 2023, 58% of US consumers received gift cards, leading to $9.1 billion unused
- Only 42% of gift cards were fully redeemed within one year in the US 2022
- UK redemption rate for gift cards averaged 65% in 2023
Over half of US adults hold unused gift cards, totaling $15.7 billion in the US and $21B globally.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumer Demographics24 stats
01
55% of US adults have at least one unused gift card averaging $186 value 2023
02
Women receive 52% more gift cards than men annually US 2023
03
Millennials hold 40% of all unused gift card balances 2023
04
Gen Z received $28 billion in gift cards in 2023 US
05
Boomers account for 28% of unused gift card holders 2023
06
Urban dwellers hold 62% of unused balances US 2023
07
Households earning $100k+ have avg 3 unused cards 2023
08
Parents with kids under 18 hold 45% more unused value 2023
09
College students average $92in unused gift cards 2023
10
72% of 18-34 year olds received gift cards last holiday 2023
11
African American consumers receive 1.5x more gift cards than average 2023
12
Hispanic households have avg $210unused gift cards 2023
13
Single adults hold 35% of unused balances vs married 2023
14
Retirees average 2.4 unused cards per household 2023
15
Full-time workers redeem faster, holding 20% less unused 2023
16
Southern US states have highest unused per capita $1452023
17
Northeast consumers forget 18% more cards 2023
18
48% of pet owners received pet store gift cards unused 2023
19
Gamers hold $450 million in unused digital gift cards 2023
20
Fitness enthusiasts average $75unused gym gift cards 2023
21
62% of beauty product gift cards from females remain unused 2023
22
Travel gift cards unused by 29% of frequent flyers 2023
23
Book lovers hold $120 million unused bookstore cards 2023
24
Foodies have 55% unused restaurant cards avg 2023
Interpretation
Consumer Demographics Interpretation
While millennials and Gen Z are swimming in plastic mountains of forgotten gifts, urbanites with six-figure incomes are apparently too busy to redeem what amounts to a national savings account of idle generosity.
02 · Category
Dormancy Periods25 stats
01
22% of unused gift cards dormant over 5 years in US 2023
02
Average dormancy period for unused gift cards is 14 months US 2022
03
12% of gift cards remain unused after 3 years globally 2023
04
UK gift cards average 18 months to dormancy 2023
05
Physical gift cards dormant 20% longer than digital in US 2023
06
Restaurant gift cards enter dormancy after avg 11 months 2023
07
8% of holiday gift cards dormant forever per 2022 data
08
Corporate gift cards average 22 months dormancy globally 2023
09
Amazon e-gift cards dormant after 7 months avg 2023
10
Starbucks cards average 9 months to dormancy 2023
11
iTunes gift cards 6% dormant over 5 years 2022
12
Visa prepaid avg dormancy 16 months US 2023
13
25% of gift cards unused after 12 months in Brazil 2022
14
Japan convenience gift cards dormant 10% after 2 years 2023
15
Expired gift cards total $1.1 billion annually US due to dormancy
16
41% of unused cards lost or forgotten leading to dormancy 2023 survey
17
Digital wallets reduce dormancy by 15% per 2023 study
18
Gen Z gift cards dormant 30% less than Boomers 2023
19
Multi-brand gift cards dormant 18 months avg US 2023
20
Closed-loop cards dormant faster at 13 months vs open-loop 2023
21
Women hold dormant cards 10% longer than men US 2023
22
Rural areas see 22-month avg dormancy vs urban 12 months 2023
23
65% of consumers aged 55+ have dormant gift cards 2023
24
Low-income groups have 20% higher dormancy rates 2023
25
Students report 35% dormancy after 1 year 2023 survey
Interpretation
Dormancy Periods Interpretation
Collectively, we treat billions in gift cards like forgettable pocket change, letting them become sleeping beauties in our drawers while companies quietly profit from our negligence.
03 · Category
Fraud Statistics24 stats
01
Unused gift card fraud losses reached $150 million in US 2023
02
24% increase in gift card draining scams reported 2023
03
$1.2 billion global losses from unused gift card fraud 2022
04
Phishing attacks targeting gift card balances up 35% in 2023 US
05
12% of consumers experienced gift card fraud in 2023 survey
06
Digital gift card fraud accounted for 68% of incidents 2023
07
Family/friend scams drained $45 million in gift cards 2023
08
Retail employee tampering cases rose 18% in 2023
09
Third-party marketplace fraud hit $28 million unused cards 2023
10
Ransomware using gift cards for payment totaled $90 million 2023
11
Visa gift card fraud losses $32 million in US 2023
12
Amazon gift card scams caused $120 million losses 2023
13
iTunes card fraud peaked at $85 million globally 2022
14
Starbucks gift card fraud incidents up 22% in 2023
15
41,000 gift card scam complaints to FTC in 2023
16
International money mule schemes used $67 million gift cards 2023
17
UK reported £140 million gift card fraud losses 2023
18
Brazil saw 25% rise in pix-gift card hybrid fraud 2023
19
7% of unused cards linked to fraud per forensic audit 2023
20
AI-generated deepfake scams targeting gift cards emerged 15% cases 2023
21
Mobile app vulnerabilities exploited in 19% gift fraud 2023
22
SMS phishing for gift codes up 50% in 2023
23
Elderly victims over 65 lost $50 million to gift scams 2023
24
Gen Z reported 14% exposure to gift card fraud attempts 2023
Interpretation
Fraud Statistics Interpretation
The modern gift card has rapidly become criminals' favorite multi-purpose tool for fraud, proving itself the undefeated champion of separating people from their money through every imaginable digital and human vulnerability.
More related reading
04 · Category
Market Value28 stats
01
In 2023, the total value of unused gift cards in the United States was estimated at $15.7 billion
02
Globally, unused gift cards amounted to over $21 billion in unused balances as of 2022
03
The US gift card market size reached $167 billion in sales in 2023, with 20% remaining unused
04
In the UK, unused gift cards held £2.4 billion in value in 2023
05
Australia reported AUD 1.5 billion in expired and unused gift cards annually
06
In 2023, digital gift cards contributed $8.9 billion to unused US balances
07
Europe’s unused gift card market was valued at €12 billion in 2022
08
India’s gift card industry saw $2.3 billion in unused value in 2023
09
Brazil had R$4.5 billion in unused gift cards in 2022
10
Japan’s unused gift card balance hit ¥1.2 trillion in 2023
11
South Korea reported ₩3.5 trillion in dormant gift cards
12
In 2023, retail sector unused gift cards totaled $10.2 billion in the US
13
Restaurant gift cards added $2.8 billion to unused US totals in 2023
14
Online marketplaces contributed $1.9 billion unused in 2022
15
Corporate gift cards had $3.1 billion unused globally in 2023
16
Holiday season unused gift cards peaked at $7.4 billion post-2022 Christmas
17
Visa prepaid gift cards had $1.2 billion unused in US 2023
18
Mastercard gift card unused balances reached $900 million in 2022
19
Amazon gift cards contributed $4.5 billion unused in 2023
20
Starbucks unused gift cards totaled $1.7 billion globally in 2023
21
iTunes/App Store unused balances were $2.1 billion in 2022
22
Walmart gift cards had $800 million unused in US 2023
23
Target unused gift cards reached $650 million in 2023
24
Best Buy reported $450 million in unused gift cards 2023
25
Home Depot unused balances were $320 million in 2023
26
Lowe's had $280 million unused gift cards in 2023
27
Macy's unused gift cards totaled $210 million post-2022 holidays
28
Kohl's reported $190 million in unused balances 2023
Interpretation
Market Value Interpretation
The staggering global graveyard of forgotten gift cards, a monument to our best intentions and worst memories, now holds enough money to buy a small country but apparently not enough motivation to buy a pair of socks.
05 · Category
Redemption Rates30 stats
01
In 2023, 58% of US consumers received gift cards, leading to $9.1 billion unused
02
Only 42% of gift cards were fully redeemed within one year in the US 2022
03
UK redemption rate for gift cards averaged 65% in 2023
04
Digital gift cards had 72% redemption rate vs 55% for physical in 2023 US
05
Restaurant gift cards redeemed at 68% rate in 2023
06
Retail gift cards saw 61% redemption in first 6 months post-issue 2022
07
75% of Amazon gift cards redeemed within 3 months in 2023
08
Starbucks gift cards had 82% redemption rate annually in 2023
09
Visa gift cards redeemed 70% within 12 months US 2023
10
Corporate incentive gift cards at 55% redemption globally 2022
11
Holiday gift cards redeemed 48% by end of next year 2023 data
12
iTunes gift cards had 78% redemption rate in 2022
13
Walmart gift cards redeemed 65% fully in 2023
14
Target saw 62% redemption rate for 2023 gift cards
15
Best Buy gift cards at 59% redemption in FY2023
16
35% of gift cards partially redeemed, leaving average $15 balance unused US 2023
17
Online redemption rates hit 74% for e-gift cards in EU 2023
18
Brazil gift card redemption averaged 52% in 2022
19
Japan reported 80% redemption for convenience store gift cards 2023
20
Average US gift card redemption time is 9.2 months in 2023
21
28% of gift cards never redeemed after 3 years US data 2022
22
Female consumers redeemed 5% more gift cards than males in 2023 survey
23
Millennials redeemed 71% of received gift cards in 2023
24
Gen Z redemption rate was 66% for digital gift cards 2023
25
Boomers redeemed only 54% of physical gift cards in 2023
26
Urban consumers had 68% redemption vs 59% rural in US 2023
27
High-income households ($100k+) redeemed 73% vs 61% low-income 2023
28
15-24 age group redeemed 69% of gift cards received 2023
29
Parents redeemed 4% more gift cards than non-parents US 2023
30
College students had 64% redemption rate in 2023 survey
Interpretation
Redemption Rates Interpretation
It seems humanity has collectively decided that receiving a gift card is not actually a gift but rather a homework assignment that 58% of us received in 2023, with a full $9.1 billion left undone.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Karl Becker. (2026, February 13). Unused Gift Card Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/unused-gift-card-statistics
MLA
Karl Becker. "Unused Gift Card Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/unused-gift-card-statistics.
Chicago
Karl Becker. 2026. "Unused Gift Card Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/unused-gift-card-statistics.
Sources & references
61 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
aboutamazon.com