{"id":991069,"date":"2026-08-06T07:02:21","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T11:02:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/more-americans-have-access-to-credit-while-debt-growth-has-moderated\/"},"modified":"2026-08-06T07:02:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T11:02:21","slug":"more-americans-have-access-to-credit-while-debt-growth-has-moderated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/more-americans-have-access-to-credit-while-debt-growth-has-moderated\/","title":{"rendered":"More Americans Have Access to Credit While Debt Growth Has Moderated"},"content":{"rendered":"

\nQ2 2026 TransUnion Credit Industry Insights Report shows balance growth, broader access and measured monthly payment pressure
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CHICAGO, Aug. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — New TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) research finds that consumer credit remains widely available despite economic uncertainty, while credit usage continues to grow at a pace largely consistent with inflation. TransUnion released the findings in conjunction with\u00a0its\u00a0Q2 2026 Credit Industry Insights Report (CIIR).<\/a><\/p>\n

Consumer access to credit continued to expand in Q2 2026, with just under 262 million consumers carrying a credit balance. Total outstanding balances also grew steadily, reflecting broader credit participation and borrowing patterns consistent with recent years.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis continued expansion in credit access shows that lenders are still extending credit broadly across the market,\u201d said Jason Laky, executive vice president and head of financial services at TransUnion. \u201cLenders are managing risk through the use\u00a0of strategies such as smaller credit lines, which allows them to continue expanding access to credit while navigating a complex economic environment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Growth in Total Balances and Credit Access Has Remained Steady<\/strong>
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\n <\/strong>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n \u00a0<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n\n Q2 2026<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n\n YoY 2025-2026<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n\n 3-year CAGR* <\/strong>
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\n 2023-2026<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n Total Outstanding Balances<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n$18.6 Trillion<\/td>\n+2.8%<\/td>\n+3.0%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n Number of Consumers With a Balance<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n261.7 million<\/td>\n+2.4%<\/td>\n+1.9%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n *Compound annual growth rate<\/em>
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\n Source: TransUnion US consumer credit database
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Nevertheless, the expansion of credit access does not appear to have resulted in materially greater portfolio risk to lenders, even amid ongoing affordability pressures. While borrower-level credit card delinquency rates increased year over year (YoY), balance-level delinquency rates (1.98% in Q2 2026) are relatively flat, dropping by 2 basis points for the period.<\/p>\n

Average non-mortgage minimum payments \u2013 the average total amount due per month for all credit accounts in wallet except mortgage \u2013 have been modest across all credit risk tiers, up between 1 and 3 percent YoY for all except the prime tier (+3.5%). This indicates that debt obligations have increased at a manageable pace for most borrowers, and generally below the recent rate of inflation. Together, these trends indicate that broader credit availability has not led to excessive consumer debt burdens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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\n Non-mortgage Minimum Payments Have Grown Slowly YoY Across All Risk Tiers<\/strong>
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\n <\/strong>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n \u00a0<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n\n YoY 2025-2026<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n\n 4-year CAGR* 2022-2026<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n Subprime<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n\n 1.3<\/strong>
\n %<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n		\n 5.5<\/strong>
\n %<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n Near Prime<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n\n 2.2<\/strong>
\n %<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n		\n 6.1<\/strong>
\n %<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n Prime<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n\n 3.5<\/strong>
\n %<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n		\n 6.7<\/strong>
\n %<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n Prime Plus<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n\n 1.8<\/strong>
\n %<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n		\n 5.7<\/strong>
\n %<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n Super Prime<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n\n 2.3<\/strong>
\n %<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n		\n 6.8<\/strong>
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\n *Compound annual growth rate<\/em>
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\n Source: TransUnion US consumer credit database<\/em>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

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\u201cWhile affordability pressures continue to weigh on many households, consumers appear to be managing credit obligations with relative discipline, as evidenced by modest growth in non-mortgage minimum payments and generally stable balance-level delinquency rates,\u201d said Michele Raneri, vice president and head of U.S. research and consulting at TransUnion. \u201cAlthough some consumers may be experiencing financial challenges, the broader credit picture suggests that balance growth has generally remained aligned with consumers\u2019 ability to service their debt.\u201d<\/p>\n

To learn more about the latest consumer credit trends, register for the\u00a0Q2 2026 Quarterly Credit Industry Insights Report webinar<\/a>. Read on for more specific insights about credit cards, personal loans, auto loans and mortgages.<\/p>\n

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\n New bankcard credit lines grow as lenders implement strategic growth<\/em>
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\n Q2 2026 CIIR Credit Card Summary<\/strong>\n <\/p>\n