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Holders of Visa-branded credit cards globally initiated 5.3 billion payments during Visa Inc.'s fiscal third quarter ended June 30, up 10.4% from 4.8 billion during the same period last year, the company reported yesterday. In the U.S., cardholders initiated 2.3 billion of those transactions, up 2.2% from 2.25 billion last year. Outside the U.S., cardholders initiated 2.97 billion purchases, up 17.9% from 2.52 billion. Credit card sales volume for the quarter totaled $450 billion worldwide, up 13.6% from $396 billion a year earlier. U.S. cardholders spent $213 billion, up 4.9% from $203 billion. Cardholders outside the U.S. spent $238 billion, up 22.7% from $194 billion. Some 665 million Visa credit card accounts existed worldwide on June 30, up 14% from 584 million a year earlier, Visa reports. Of those accounts, 262 million were in the U.S., up 7% from 245 million, and 404 million were outside the U.S., up 19% from 339 million.
