Fewer Hong Kong consumers opened credit card accounts during the second quarter than a year earlier as unemployment peaked in the city, TransUnion said in a report Thursday.

According to the consumer credit reporting agency, the volume of credit card originations declined by 23.5% year-on-year, with volumes down across all generations and all risk categories except the subprime sector.

The decline was more pronounced among Gen X consumers, which recorded a 26.1% decline, followed by Millennials with a 25.8% decrease, while 11.1% less Gen Z customers opened credit card accounts during the period, the report said.

"Graduates entering the market have been the most affected, with 8% of young consumers aged 20 to 29 unemployed - the highest level this year, on an upward trend from 5.4% in January 2025," TransUnion said.