Credit Card Debt Statistics 2026
This page collects 55 figures on credit card debt, mostly in the United States: total balances, average balances and who carries debt, debt by age and generation, APRs and interest costs, delinquencies and charge-offs, new card lending, and a short comparison with the UK and Canada. It uses data from 2024 to November 2026 from the New York Fed, the Federal Reserve Board, the Philadelphia Fed, the CFPB, the three credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax and Experian), Bankrate's cardholder survey, the Bank of England and Equifax Canada.
By the Comredix review desk · Updated November 13, 2026 · 55 numbers drawn from 18 publishers and reports
Short answer
Americans owed $1.29 trillion on credit cards in the third quarter of 2026, according to the New York Fed, and the Federal Reserve puts the average card interest rate at 21.19%. TransUnion reports an average of $6,678 in bankcard debt per borrower, while Experian finds Gen X carries the largest average balance at $9,560. New delinquencies are easing: the share of card balances moving into serious delinquency fell to 6.87% in Q3 2026.
Headline numbers
- $1.29 trillionUS credit card balances rose by $22 billion in the third quarter of 2026 to $1.29 trillion, according to the New York Fed's credit report data.Federal Reserve Bank of New York
- $6,678The average US bankcard debt per borrower was $6,678 in Q3 2026, up from $6,523 a year earlier, according to TransUnion.TransUnion
- $9,560Generation X consumers, aged 46 to 61, had the highest average US credit card balance at $9,560 in March 2026, with 32% utilization.Experian
- 21.19%The average interest rate on US credit card plans at commercial banks was 21.19% across all accounts in Q3 2026, according to the Federal Reserve.Federal Reserve Board
- $160 billionUS consumers were charged $160 billion in credit card interest in 2024, up from $105 billion in 2022.Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- 6.87%6.87% of US credit card balances transitioned into serious delinquency (90 or more days late) over the year to Q3 2026, down from 7.05% a year earlier.Federal Reserve Bank of New York
- 12.8%The share of US credit card balances 90 or more days delinquent on credit reports rose from 7.6% in Q3 2022 to 12.8% in Q1 2026, driven mostly by old charged-off debts.Federal Reserve Bank of New York
- 22.4 millionUS lenders opened a record 22.4 million new bankcards in Q2 2026, up 9.5% year over year, according to TransUnion.TransUnion
Reading the numbers
US credit card debt is at a record level but growing more slowly. The New York Fed puts balances at $1.29 trillion in Q3 2026, $52 billion more than a year earlier, and the Federal Reserve's revolving credit series grew at a 4.1% annual rate in the same quarter. TransUnion, Equifax and Experian count somewhat smaller totals of $1.13 to $1.25 trillion because they measure bankcards or use different snapshots, but all three show growth of roughly 4% to 5% a year, far below the 2022 surge.
The typical balance has nearly stopped rising. Experian's average consumer balance rose just 0.6% to $6,659 between March 2025 and March 2026, and TransUnion's average debt per borrower rose 2.4% to $6,678. Averages by age follow a clear hump: Experian finds Gen X at $9,560, millennials at $7,013, baby boomers at $6,676 and Gen Z at $3,483. Bankrate and the Fed both find that close to half of cardholders carry a balance, with the highest shares among people in their 30s to 50s.
The cost of that debt is what has changed most. The Federal Reserve's average card rate rose from 14.60% in 2021 to 21.19% in Q3 2026, and the CFPB found general purpose cards averaging 25.2% in 2024 and new accounts 27.5%. Americans paid $160 billion in card interest and $31.3 billion in fees in 2024, and a record 15% of general purpose cardholders paid only the minimum. At the same time, the Philadelphia Fed finds 37% of large bank accounts now pay in full, so card users are splitting into those who avoid interest and those who pay a great deal of it.
Delinquency has peaked on most measures. Bank charge-off and delinquency rates from the Federal Reserve have fallen since 2024, the flow into serious delinquency eased to 6.87%, and TransUnion's balance-level 90 day rate fell to 1.99%. The New York Fed's stock measure of 12.8% looks worse mainly because charged-off debts linger on credit reports. Lenders are again expanding credit to riskier borrowers, with record new card openings and a rising share going to scores below 660, but with smaller credit lines.
Total US credit card debt
- 1.
US credit card balances rose by $22 billion in the third quarter of 2026 to $1.29 trillion, according to the New York Fed's credit report data.
Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Household Debt Rose Moderately in Q3 2026: press release on the Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Credit card balances rose by $22 billion and stood at $1.29 trillion, and auto loan balances increased by $21 billion to $1.73 trillion.
- 2.
Total credit limits on US credit cards rose by $115 billion, or 2.1%, in Q3 2026, faster than balances grew.
Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit, 2026:Q3 (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Aggregate limits on credit cards continued to rise, with a $115 billion (2.1%) uptick in the third quarter.
- 3.
US revolving consumer credit, which is mostly credit card debt, stood at $1,368.5 billion seasonally adjusted in September 2026 in the Federal Reserve's G.19 release.
Federal Reserve Board, Consumer Credit - G.19, September 2026 (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Revolving 1,033.5 1,192.6 1,298.9 1,297.0 1,324.3 1,312.7 1,324.3 1,338.2 1,354.4 1,368.5
- 4.
US revolving credit grew at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.1% in the third quarter of 2026.
Federal Reserve Board, Consumer Credit - G.19, September 2026 (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Revolving credit increased at an annual rate of 4.1 percent, while nonrevolving credit increased at an annual rate of 4.2 percent.
- 5.
TransUnion counted $1.16 trillion in US bankcard balances in Q3 2026, up 4.5% from a year earlier.
TransUnion, Q3 2026 Credit Industry Insights Report (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Total bankcard balances climbed 4.5% YoY to $1.16 trillion in Q3 2026, continuing steady growth that has ranged between 4.2% and 4.6% since Q1 2025.
- 6.
Equifax put US bankcard balances at $1.13 trillion in September 2026, up 3.9% year over year, with average utilization of 20.3%.
Equifax, U.S. Consumer Debt Hit $18.56 Trillion in Q3 2026 (Market Pulse Third Quarter U.S. Consumer Credit Trends) (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Bankcard balances grew 3.9% to $1.13 trillion, with average utilization dropping slightly to 20.3%.
- 7.
Experian's data show total US credit card debt rose 5.4% to about $1.25 trillion between March 2025 and March 2026.
Experian, Credit Card Debt and Balances in 2026 (2026)
Exact wording at the source
It saw an annual increase of 5.4% to reach $1.25 trillion, according to Experian data.
- 8.
Americans put $3.6 trillion of purchases on consumer credit cards in 2024, up from $3.2 trillion in 2022, according to the CFPB.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, The Consumer Credit Card Market (2025 report) (Dec 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Purchase volume on consumer credit cards increased to $3.6 trillion in 2024, up from $3.2 trillion in 2022.
Chart
US revolving consumer credit at year end, 2021 to 2025 (billions of dollars)
Seasonally adjusted revolving consumer credit outstanding, billions of dollars, Federal Reserve G.19 release of November 2026.
- 2021$1,034
- 2022$1,193
- 2023$1,299
- 2024$1,297
- 2025$1,324
Source: Federal Reserve Board, Consumer Credit - G.19, September 2026
Average balances and who carries debt
- 9.
The average US bankcard debt per borrower was $6,678 in Q3 2026, up from $6,523 a year earlier, according to TransUnion.
TransUnion, Q3 2026 Credit Industry Insights Report (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Average Debt Per Borrower $6,678 $6,523 $6,380 $6,088
- 10.
The average US consumer credit card balance was $6,659 in March 2026, up just $41 from a year earlier, in Experian's data.
Experian, Credit Card Debt and Balances in 2026 (2026)
Exact wording at the source
The average credit card balance among consumers was $6,659 as of March 2026, up $41 from the prior year's average of $6,618.
- 11.
The CFPB estimates the average monthly credit card balance per US cardholder rose to about $5,300 in 2024.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, The Consumer Credit Card Market (2025 report) (Dec 2025)
Exact wording at the source
The average monthly credit card balance per cardholder increased to about $5,300 in 2024.
- 12.
45% of US credit card owners said they carried a balance at least once in the prior 12 months in 2025, down 12 percentage points over a decade.
Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Credit (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
In 2025, 45 percent of credit card owners said they carried a balance at least once during the prior 12 months, down 12 percentage points over the past decade
- 13.
Among Fed survey respondents linked to credit records, average credit card balances rose $748, or 11%, between 2023 and 2025.
Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Credit (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Compared with two years earlier, the average credit card balances of SHED respondents with credit cards increased $748 (11 percent) in the previous two years
- 14.
For US adults who said they were finding it difficult to get by, average card balances rose by more than $2,500, or 37%, over the two years to 2025.
Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Credit (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
In contrast, average balances increased by over $2,500 (37 percent) among borrowers who were "finding it difficult to get by."
- 15.
47% of US credit cardholders carried credit card debt in Bankrate's December 2025 survey, little changed from 48% a year earlier.
Bankrate, Bankrate's 2026 Credit Card Debt Survey (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The number of American cardholders with credit card debt — 47%— has remained nearly flat since this time last year (48%).
- 16.
61% of US cardholders with credit card debt had been in debt for at least a year in late 2025, up from 53% in late 2024.
Bankrate, Bankrate's 2026 Credit Card Debt Survey (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
About 3 in 5 cardholders (61%) with credit card balances have been in debt for at least a year — that’s up from 53% in late 2024.
- 17.
36% of US cardholders with household incomes above $100,000 carry a balance month to month, against 56% of those earning under $50,000, per Bankrate's 2025 survey.
Bankrate, Bankrate's 2026 Credit Card Debt Survey (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Fifty-six percent of credit cardholders with annual household incomes under $50,000 and 51% earning between $50,000 and $79,999 carry a balance from month to month, versus 43% earning between $80,000 and $99,999 and 36% earning more than $100,000 per year.
- 18.
41% of US credit card debtors said an emergency expense, such as medical bills or car repairs, was the main cause of their debt in late 2025.
Bankrate, Bankrate's 2026 Credit Card Debt Survey (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Among credit card debtors, more than 2 in 5 (41%) say the primary cause was an emergency expense.
Chart
Average US bankcard debt per borrower, third quarter
TransUnion US consumer credit database, bankcards only, Q3 of each year.
- Q3 2023$6,088
- Q3 2024$6,380
- Q3 2025$6,523
- Q3 2026$6,678
Source: TransUnion, Q3 2026 Credit Industry Insights Report
Credit card debt by age
- 19.
Generation X consumers, aged 46 to 61, had the highest average US credit card balance at $9,560 in March 2026, with 32% utilization.
Experian, Credit Card Debt and Balances in 2026 (2026)
Exact wording at the source
Generation X (46-61) 710 $9,560 1.3% 4.0% 32%
- 20.
Millennials, aged 30 to 45, carried an average US credit card balance of $7,013 in March 2026.
Experian, Credit Card Debt and Balances in 2026 (2026)
Exact wording at the source
Millennials (30-45) 690 $7,013 2.1% 5.3% 34%
- 21.
Generation Z consumers, aged 18 to 29, had an average US credit card balance of $3,483 in March 2026 but the highest utilization rate, at 35%.
Experian, Credit Card Debt and Balances in 2026 (2026)
Exact wording at the source
Generation Z (18-29) 679 $3,483 2.5% 6.7% 35%
- 22.
Baby boomers, aged 62 to 80, averaged $6,676 in US credit card balances in March 2026 and used 20% of their available limits.
Experian, Credit Card Debt and Balances in 2026 (2026)
Exact wording at the source
Baby boomers (62-80) 747 $6,676 0.6% 2.5% 20%
- 23.
53% of Gen X and millennial US cardholders carry a balance from month to month, compared with 43% of boomers, according to Bankrate's 2025 survey.
Bankrate, Bankrate's 2026 Credit Card Debt Survey (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Among credit cardholders, more than half of Gen Xers (ages 46-61; 53%) and millennials (ages 30-45; 53%), as well as more than 2 in 5 boomers (ages 62-80; 43%) and Gen Zers (ages 18-29; 40%) carry a balance from month to month.
- 24.
40% of Gen Z US cardholders, aged 18 to 29, carry a balance from month to month in Bankrate's 2025 survey.
Bankrate, Bankrate's 2026 Credit Card Debt Survey (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Among credit cardholders, more than half of Gen Xers (ages 46-61; 53%) and millennials (ages 30-45; 53%), as well as more than 2 in 5 boomers (ages 62-80; 43%) and Gen Zers (ages 18-29; 40%) carry a balance from month to month.
- 25.
52% of US card holders aged 45 to 59 carried a balance at least once in the prior year in 2025, the highest share of any age group in the Fed's survey.
Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Credit (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Age 18–29 65 46 30 30–44 78 50 39 45–59 86 52 45 60+ 92 36 33
Chart
US card holders who carried a balance in the past year, by age, 2025
Share of credit card holders who carried a balance at least once in the prior 12 months, Federal Reserve SHED survey fielded October 2025.
- 18 to 2946%
- 30 to 4450%
- 45 to 5952%
- 60+36%
Source: Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Credit
Credit card APRs and the cost of carrying debt
- 26.
The average interest rate on US credit card plans at commercial banks was 21.19% across all accounts in Q3 2026, according to the Federal Reserve.
Federal Reserve Board, Consumer Credit - G.19, September 2026 (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Credit card plans All accounts 14.60 16.26 20.90 21.58 21.22 21.39 20.97 21.00 20.94 21.19
- 27.
The average APR on US general purpose credit cards reached 25.2% in 2024, the highest since at least 2015, according to the CFPB.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, The Consumer Credit Card Market (2025 report) (Dec 2025)
Exact wording at the source
In 2024, the average annual percentage rate (APR) reached 25.2 percent for general purpose cards and 31.3 percent for private label credit cards, the highest levels since at least 2015.
- 28.
Private label store credit cards in the US carried an average APR of 31.3% in 2024.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, The Consumer Credit Card Market (2025 report) (Dec 2025)
Exact wording at the source
In 2024, the average annual percentage rate (APR) reached 25.2 percent for general purpose cards and 31.3 percent for private label credit cards, the highest levels since at least 2015.
- 29.
New US general purpose card accounts opened in 2024 had an average APR of 27.5%, compared with 19.8% ten years earlier.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, The Consumer Credit Card Market (2025 report) (Dec 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Average APR for new general purpose accounts opened in 2024 was 27.5 percent, compared to 19.8 percent ten years ago.
- 30.
US consumers were charged $160 billion in credit card interest in 2024, up from $105 billion in 2022.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, The Consumer Credit Card Market (2025 report) (Dec 2025)
Exact wording at the source
In 2024, consumers were assessed $160 billion in interest charges, up from $105 billion in 2022.
- 31.
US cardholders also paid $31.3 billion in credit card fees in 2024, 23% more than in 2022.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, The Consumer Credit Card Market (2025 report) (Dec 2025)
Exact wording at the source
In addition to interest, consumers paid $31.3 billion in fees, up 23 percent from 2022.
- 32.
About 15% of US general purpose cardholders made only the minimum payment in 2024, the highest share since at least 2015.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, The Consumer Credit Card Market (2025 report) (Dec 2025)
Exact wording at the source
About 15 percent of general purpose cardholders made only the minimum payment, up from 13 percent in our last report.
- 33.
About 50% of US credit card accounts revolved a balance in 2024, back to pre-pandemic levels after dipping to 45% in late 2021.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, The Consumer Credit Card Market (2025 report) (Dec 2025)
Exact wording at the source
The share of accounts that revolve credit card balances returned to pre- pandemic levels of around 50 percent, up from 45 percent observed in late 2021.
- 34.
37% of large-bank credit card accounts paid their balance in full in Q2 2026, matching the pandemic-era peak of 2021, according to the Philadelphia Fed.
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Large Bank Credit Card and Mortgage Data, 2026 Q2 Narrative (Oct 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Payment behavior is consistent with this interpretation: The share of accounts making a full payment on card balances reached 37 percent, matching the pandemic-era peak in the second quarter of 2021
Chart
Average interest rate on US credit card plans, all accounts
Annual averages for commercial bank credit card plans, not seasonally adjusted, Federal Reserve G.19.
Source: Federal Reserve Board, Consumer Credit - G.19, September 2026
Delinquencies and charge-offs
- 35.
6.87% of US credit card balances transitioned into serious delinquency (90 or more days late) over the year to Q3 2026, down from 7.05% a year earlier.
Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Household Debt Rose Moderately in Q3 2026: press release on the Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Auto Loan Debt 2.99% 3.02% Credit Card Debt 7.05% 6.87%
- 36.
The share of US credit card balances 90 or more days delinquent on credit reports rose from 7.6% in Q3 2022 to 12.8% in Q1 2026, driven mostly by old charged-off debts.
Federal Reserve Bank of New York, How Distressed Are Consumers? Reconciling Diverging Credit Card Delinquency Measures (Liberty Street Economics) (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Still, between 2022:Q3 and 2026:Q1, the percentage of credit card balances 90+ days delinquent rose from 7.6 percent to 12.8 percent, prompting concerns that Americans are falling behind on their debt payments at rates not seen since the Great Recession.
- 37.
The median credit score on newly issued US credit cards fell from 699 in 2017 to 2019 to 688 in 2020 to 2022, a loosening the New York Fed links to later delinquencies.
Federal Reserve Bank of New York, A Look at the Wider Divide in Credit Card Delinquency by Income (Liberty Street Economics) (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The chart below shows that the median credit score at card issuance fell from an average of 699 in 2017–19 (green region) to 688 during the 2020–22 period (red region).
- 38.
2.85% of credit card loans at US commercial banks were 30 or more days delinquent in Q2 2026, seasonally adjusted, down from 3.04% a year earlier.
Federal Reserve Board, Delinquency Rates on Loans and Leases at Commercial Banks, Seasonally Adjusted (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
2026:2 1.68 1.86 1.53 1.33 2.62 2.85
- 39.
US commercial banks charged off credit card loans at an annualized rate of 3.82% in Q2 2026, down from 4.19% a year earlier.
Federal Reserve Board, Charge-Off Rates on Loans and Leases at Commercial Banks, Seasonally Adjusted (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
2026:2 0.07 0.00 0.14 0.02 2.66 3.82
- 40.
The share of US bankcard balances 90 or more days past due fell to 1.99% in Q3 2026, the lowest since Q3 2023, according to TransUnion.
TransUnion, Q3 2026 Credit Industry Insights Report (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The borrower-level 90+ DPD delinquency rate rose 13 basis points YoY to 2.50%, while balance-level delinquency declined from 2.05% to 1.99%, the lowest level since 3Q23.
- 41.
The share of US bankcard borrowers 90 or more days past due rose 13 basis points over the year to 2.50% in Q3 2026.
TransUnion, Q3 2026 Credit Industry Insights Report (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The borrower-level 90+ DPD delinquency rate rose 13 basis points YoY to 2.50%, while balance-level delinquency declined from 2.05% to 1.99%, the lowest level since 3Q23.
- 42.
US credit card charge-offs totaled $15.76 billion in Q3 2026, essentially flat from $15.79 billion a year earlier, in TransUnion's data.
TransUnion, Q3 2026 Credit Industry Insights Report (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Credit card charge-offs remained essentially flat YoY, edging down from $15.79 billion to $15.76 billion in Q3 2026.
- 43.
Severe delinquency on US bankcards (more than 60 days past due) fell 9 basis points to 2.74% in September 2026, while private label cards fell to 3.85%, according to Equifax.
Equifax, U.S. Consumer Debt Hit $18.56 Trillion in Q3 2026 (Market Pulse Third Quarter U.S. Consumer Credit Trends) (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Severe delinquency rates (more than 60 days past due) across key revolving categories like bankcards were down 9 basis points to 2.74% from September 2025, while private label cards were down 40 basis points to 3.85%.
- 44.
US bankcard write-offs stood at 52.4 basis points in September 2026, down from 55.5 basis points a year earlier.
Equifax, U.S. Consumer Debt Hit $18.56 Trillion in Q3 2026 (Market Pulse Third Quarter U.S. Consumer Credit Trends) (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Bankcard write-offs stand at 52.4 basis points, down from 55.5 basis points a year prior.
New cards, credit access and card use
- 45.
US lenders opened a record 22.4 million new bankcards in Q2 2026, up 9.5% year over year, according to TransUnion.
TransUnion, Q3 2026 Credit Industry Insights Report (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Bankcard originations reached a record 22.4 million in Q2 2026, rising 9.5% YoY and marking the seventh consecutive quarter of growth.
- 46.
There were more than 636 million credit card accounts in the US as of March 2026, up 4.4% from a year earlier.
Experian, Credit Card Debt and Balances in 2026 (2026)
Exact wording at the source
There are more than 636 million credit card accounts in the U.S. as of March 2026.
- 47.
Large US banks issued 18.5% of new credit card accounts to borrowers with credit scores below 660 in Q2 2026, up from 16.1% a year earlier.
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Large Bank Credit Card and Mortgage Data, 2026 Q2 Narrative (Oct 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Specifically, large banks have grown their share of newly originated accounts belonging to borrowers with credit scores below 660 — rising from 16.1 percent in the second quarter of 2025 to 18.5 percent in the second quarter of 2026.
- 48.
The average credit line on new cards at large US banks fell from $6,216 in Q2 2025 to $6,066 in Q2 2026.
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Large Bank Credit Card and Mortgage Data, 2026 Q2 Narrative (Oct 2026)
Exact wording at the source
With new account growth outpacing commitment growth, the average new credit line fell from $6,216 in the second quarter of 2025 to $6,066 in the second quarter of 2026.
- 49.
Credit cards made up 34% of US consumer payments in 2025, the largest share of any payment method, according to Pew Research Center's analysis of Federal Reserve survey data.
Pew Research Center, From cash to credit: How Americans' payment methods have changed in the past decade (Sep 2026)
Exact wording at the source
In 2025, credit cards made up the highest share of payments at 34%.
- 50.
US consumers made an average of 16 credit card payments a month in the 2026 Diary of Consumer Payment Choice, against 15 debit card and six cash payments.
Federal Reserve Financial Services, 2026 Diary of Consumer Payment Choice (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Notably, they made 16 payments with credit card, 15 with debit card and six with cash.
Credit card debt in the UK and Canada
- 51.
The effective interest rate on interest-charging UK credit cards was 21.71% in September 2026, up from 21.55% in August.
Bank of England, Money and Credit, September 2026 (Oct 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The effective rate on interest-charging credit cards increased slightly in September, to 21.71% from 21.55%.
- 52.
UK credit card borrowing grew 13.1% in the year to September 2026, according to the Bank of England.
Bank of England, Money and Credit, September 2026 (Oct 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Over the same period, the annual growth rate for credit card borrowing decreased slightly to 13.1%, from 13.3% in August
- 53.
Canadian credit card debt rose to C$134.2 billion in Q2 2026 from C$130.6 billion in Q1, according to Equifax Canada.
Equifax Canada, Non-Mortgage Delinquency Growth Slows in Second Quarter, but Ontario Homeowners Remain Under Pressure (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Consequently, national credit card debt swelled to $134.2 billion, up from $130.6 billion in Q1 2026.
- 54.
4.19% of Canadian credit card balances were 90 or more days delinquent in Q2 2026, 6.8% higher than a year earlier.
Equifax Canada, Non-Mortgage Delinquency Growth Slows in Second Quarter, but Ontario Homeowners Remain Under Pressure (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The 90+ day delinquency rate for national credit cards improved slightly to 4.19 per cent, down from 4.28 per cent in the previous quarter, but remained higher than 2025, showing a 6.8 per cent annual increase.
- 55.
65% of Canadian consumers paid their credit card balance in full each month in Q2 2026.
Equifax Canada, Non-Mortgage Delinquency Growth Slows in Second Quarter, but Ontario Homeowners Remain Under Pressure (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Payment behaviour on credit cards remained flat with 65 per cent of consumers paying their credit card balance in full each month.
Questions readers ask
- How much credit card debt do Americans have?
- Americans owed $1.29 trillion on credit cards at the end of September 2026, according to the New York Fed's Household Debt and Credit Report, up $22 billion from the prior quarter. TransUnion counts $1.16 trillion in bankcard balances, which excludes store cards.
- What is the average credit card debt per person?
- TransUnion puts average bankcard debt at $6,678 per borrower in Q3 2026, and Experian puts the average consumer card balance at $6,659 in March 2026. The CFPB estimates the average monthly balance per cardholder at about $5,300 in 2024.
- What is the average credit card debt by age?
- Experian's March 2026 data show Gen X (46 to 61) with the highest average balance at $9,560, followed by millennials at $7,013, baby boomers at $6,676 and Gen Z at $3,483. Gen Z has the highest average utilization at 35%.
- What is the average credit card interest rate?
- The Federal Reserve reports an average rate of 21.19% across all credit card accounts at commercial banks in Q3 2026, and 22.36% on accounts that were charged interest. The CFPB found general purpose cards averaged 25.2% and store cards 31.3% in 2024.
- Are credit card delinquencies rising?
- New delinquencies are easing. The New York Fed's flow into serious delinquency fell to 6.87% in Q3 2026 from 7.05% a year earlier, and Federal Reserve bank data show card delinquency at 2.85% in Q2 2026, down from 3.04%. The share of balances already 90 days late is higher, at 12.8%, largely because charged-off debts remain on credit reports.
Where these numbers come from
We used primary publishers only: the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Reserve Banks of New York and Philadelphia, Federal Reserve Financial Services, the CFPB and the Bank of England for official data, the credit bureaus TransUnion, Equifax, Equifax Canada and Experian for their own credit file data, Bankrate for its own cardholder survey and Pew Research Center for its analysis of Federal Reserve payments data. Every quote was refetched from the source page. Totals differ by definition: the New York Fed counts all card balances on credit reports, TransUnion and Equifax count bankcards only, and the Fed's G.19 revolving credit series includes some non-card lines. Average balance figures depend on who is counted (all consumers with a card, borrowers with a balance or cardholders) and on the month measured. APR figures from the Fed cover commercial bank accounts, while the CFPB uses account-level data from large issuers. Delinquency rates use different thresholds (30, 60 or 90 days) and either balances or borrowers. Recent quarterly figures may be revised. We store the sentence each number appears in, and a script loads the publisher's page again to make sure that sentence is still there. Our methodology has the details.
Sources
- Bank of England. Money and Credit, September 2026 (Oct 2026).
- Bankrate. Bankrate's 2026 Credit Card Debt Survey (Jan 2026).
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The Consumer Credit Card Market (2025 report) (Dec 2025).
- Equifax. U.S. Consumer Debt Hit $18.56 Trillion in Q3 2026 (Market Pulse Third Quarter U.S. Consumer Credit Trends) (Nov 2026).
- Equifax Canada. Non-Mortgage Delinquency Growth Slows in Second Quarter, but Ontario Homeowners Remain Under Pressure (Aug 2026).
- Experian. Credit Card Debt and Balances in 2026 (2026).
- Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Household Debt Rose Moderately in Q3 2026: press release on the Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit (Nov 2026).
- Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit, 2026:Q3 (Nov 2026).
- Federal Reserve Bank of New York. How Distressed Are Consumers? Reconciling Diverging Credit Card Delinquency Measures (Liberty Street Economics) (Aug 2026).
- Federal Reserve Bank of New York. A Look at the Wider Divide in Credit Card Delinquency by Income (Liberty Street Economics) (Nov 2026).
- Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Large Bank Credit Card and Mortgage Data, 2026 Q2 Narrative (Oct 2026).
- Federal Reserve Board. Consumer Credit - G.19, September 2026 (Nov 2026).
- Federal Reserve Board. Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Credit (May 2026).
- Federal Reserve Board. Delinquency Rates on Loans and Leases at Commercial Banks, Seasonally Adjusted (Aug 2026).
- Federal Reserve Board. Charge-Off Rates on Loans and Leases at Commercial Banks, Seasonally Adjusted (Aug 2026).
- Federal Reserve Financial Services. 2026 Diary of Consumer Payment Choice (May 2026).
- Pew Research Center. From cash to credit: How Americans' payment methods have changed in the past decade (Sep 2026).
- TransUnion. Q3 2026 Credit Industry Insights Report (Nov 2026).
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Comredix. (2026, November 13). Credit Card Debt Statistics 2026. https://comredix.com/credit-card-debt-statistics
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