Electronic Money Platforms
Services like paysafecard and Aircash offer virtual credit top-ups that can be used for payments.
Market Report
Gift Cards
on the Czech Market
Although the gift card market in the Czech Republic and Eastern Europe in general has a shorter tradition than in Western countries, it has been experiencing significant growth in recent years. Gift cards are becoming increasingly popular in the Czech Republic as both a gifting option and a shopping tool.
At EGIT, we have access to a wide range of data on the Czech gift card market, its customers, and their behavior. We have gathered this data over 16 years of operating on the market and will summarize the data in this article.
The Czech Gift Card Market in Recent Years
In recent years, the Czech market for gift cards has seen notable growth. Gift cards are primarily used as a means of payment for personal consumption in the Czech Republic, a trend that mirrors international markets.
There are several reasons why people buy gift cards for themselves, including:
- Better budgeting
- Security
- Anonymity
- Discounts
Gift cards are now a standard part of many companies’ offerings in the Czech Republic, and their popularity grows every year. Interest in gift cards for personal use is steady all year round, while demand for gift cards as gifts rises sharply before Christmas. As consumer habits change, gift cards are gradually becoming a common means of payment.
Czech Market: Data
| Location | Central Europe |
|---|---|
| Population (as of 31 Dec 2023) | 10,900,555 |
| Annual population growth | 73,000 |
| Average age | 42.8 years |
| Economically active | 63.6% of population |
| GDP | EUR 304,593 million (48th in the world, 14th in the EU) |
| Average salary | EUR 1,814 |
| Long-term unemployment | 0.8% |
Data as of 2025.
Challenges on the Czech Gift Card Market
The Czech gift card market faces a number of specific challenges that influence its growth and attractiveness for both international and local players. These include:
- Generally lower attractiveness of Eastern European markets, mainly due to lower purchasing power.
- A small but mature market, where gift cards compete with traditional payment methods (most people use gift cards for themselves).
- Logistical and distribution challenges, along with the need to localize products. This includes translating all materials into Czech—a relatively small and less commonly spoken language.
- A local currency (Czech koruna), which slows down the rollout of global services in the region. This creates currency risk and volatility, as well as complexity in payment systems (companies must be able to accept payments in CZK, which requires investing in multi-currency processing systems).
- Culture and preferences: gift cards are still a fairly new product on the Czech market and have not yet become very popular.
Czech Market Gift Card Statistics
2015
Gift cards seen as exceptional gifts sometimes replacing cash (STEM/MARK 2015)
2022
Every 5th person buys a gift card for Christmas (STEM/MARK October 2022)
2024
Every 2nd person buys a gift card for Christmas (IPSOS, 2024)
Most Common Types of Gift and Prepaid Cards on the Czech Market
Gift cards available on the Czech market fall into several categories.
Traditional Retail Brands
Major brands offering gift cards in the Czech Republic include IKEA, LEGO, H&M, Alza, dm, and Zalando.
Gaming Gift Cards
Used to buy video games, in-game content, expansions, and subscriptions for PC and consoles. Popular brands include Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo.
Mobile Operators
Prepaid cards are offered by the three largest operators (T-Mobile, O2 and Vodafone) and by virtual operators, which have only a 4.5% market share (e.g. Blesk Mobil, Kaktus, Tesco Mobile).
Prepaid Payment Cards
In Czechia, you can use, for example, the physical Aircash card, which you can top up with a prepaid code and then use like a standard payment card.
A history of the Czech gift card market
Due to the country’s history (the independent market only began to form in the 1990s), gift cards only became more widely available in the last ten years. Major brands only entered the Czech market around 2017. At that time, gift cards for Steam, PlayStation and Xbox started to be sold in GECO and Billa stores. After paying, customers received a code on the receipt – this was the so-called POR model, which was already known abroad.
An earlier initiative worth mentioning is the "Dárkomat" project, an unsuccessful attempt by the media house MAFRA to introduce the first physical gift cards in the Czech Republic. These were POSA cards that had to be activated at the checkout and were sold in GECO, Albert, and Benzina stores. The project ended after two years. EGIT participated in the project as a content supplier for the gaming portfolio.
It is still not possible to buy gift cards for some well-known platforms in Czechia, such as Google Play or Apple Store. The reasons include the local currency and the fact that none of these platforms has offered this service in Czechia yet, so there is no pressure to compete.
Where to Buy Gift Cards in Czechia
Gift cards in the Czech Republic can be found in supermarkets, newsstands, electronics stores, betting shops, and also on e-commerce websites and platforms specializing in gifting.
Some of the largest gift platforms are our projects: Givery and Herní kupony.
Prepaid Payment Cards
The history of prepaid payment cards in the Czech Republic includes earlier products like Blesk Wallet, COOL Card, and FreePay, as well as today's modern solutions like Aircash.
Blesk peněženka
Blesk Wallet was the first prepaid payment card in Czechia, launched in 2014 by the newspaper Blesk in cooperation with Česká spořitelna and Mastercard. It allowed anonymous payments without a bank account. The card could be topped up with cash at SAZKA terminals and used for everyday shopping and online payments. It was discontinued in 2016 due to new legislation tightening the rules on anonymous payment tools.
COOL karta
COOL Card, offered by ČSOB, targeted younger users and parents seeking controlled access to money for their children. The card could be managed via a mobile app and was used for allowances and limited payments. It was discontinued in 2019.
FreePay
FreePay Card, provided by Prepaid Solutions in cooperation with Mastercard, enabled cashless payments without a bank account. It could be topped up mainly with cash at SAZKA terminals or by bank transfer. It was popular for online shopping and travel. It also offered registration to increase transaction limits. The project ended in 2022.
Aircash
Aircash is now a popular e-wallet in the Czech Republic. It is a digital wallet and financial service that offers fast and easy payments, money transfers and top-ups. Through the mobile app, users can deposit money, send it to others, pay for services or withdraw cash at selected locations, such as gas stations. Aircash works with various merchants and institutions, and its main advantages are speed and availability without the need for a bank account. A payment card can also be linked to the account.
Revolut
Revolut is also available in the Czech Republic. It's a modern financial service offering not only prepaid cards but also features such as international transfers, favorable currency exchange rates, investing, and savings. Users can open an account through the app, set spending limits, and analyze their expenses. Revolut is especially popular among travelers due to its low foreign transaction fees.
EGIT: A Leader in Gift Cards
Our company EGIT has been operating in the Czech market for 16 years and is the market leader. We offer complete solutions for both local and international partners who want to enter this fast-growing market.
One of EGIT’s projects is Givery B2B. We offer companies the option to use gift cards as employee benefits, rewards for business partners or incentives for customers. We offer gift cards for electronics, fashion, cosmetics, experiences and more, including the Givery multi-brand gift card, which can be exchanged for any product in our range.
EGIT provides tailored solutions, including special gift packaging, company logo placement on printed gift cards and fast email delivery after the order is completed. We also offer advice on the tax and accounting side of employee benefits, so that both employees and the company benefit.