Credit card debt in the United States has been growing at a fast pace between 2021 and 2025. In the fourth quarter of 2024, the overall amount of credit card debt reached its highest value throughout the timeline considered here. COVID-19 had a big impact on the indebtedness of Americans, as credit card debt decreased from *** billion U.S. dollars in the last quarter of 2019 to *** billion U.S. dollars in the first quarter of 2021. What portion of Americans use credit cards? A substantial portion of Americans had at least one credit card in 2025. That year, the penetration rate of credit cards in the United States was ** percent. This number increased by nearly seven percentage points since 2014. The primary factors behind the high utilization of credit cards in the United States are a prevalent culture of convenience, a wide range of reward schemes, and consumer preferences for postponed payments. Which companies dominate the credit card issuing market? In 2024, the leading credit card issuers in the U.S. by volume were JPMorgan Chase & Co. and American Express. Both firms recorded transactions worth over one trillion U.S. dollars that year. Citi and Capital One were the next banks in that ranking, with the transactions made with their credit cards amounting to over half a trillion U.S. dollars that year. Those industry giants, along with other prominent brand names in the industry such as Bank of America, Synchrony Financial, Wells Fargo, and others, dominate the credit card market. Due to their extensive customer base, appealing rewards, and competitive offerings, they have gained a significant market share, making them the preferred choice for consumers.

Key information about United States Household Debt

• United States Household Debt reached 18,585.0 USD bn in Sep 2025, compared with the reported number of 18,388.0 USD bn in the previous quarter
• US Household Debt: USD mn data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1999 to Sep 2025
• The data reached an all-time high of 18,585.0 USD bn in Sep 2025 and a record low of 4,540.0 USD bn in Mar 1999

• In the latest reports, United States Household Debt accounted for 61.4 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Jun 2025
• Money Supply M2 in United States increased 22,298.1 USD bn YoY in Oct 2025
• United States Foreign Exchange Reserves was measured at 38.3 USD bn in Oct 2025
• The Foreign Exchange Reserves equaled 0.1 Months of Import in Aug 2025
• United States Domestic Credit reached 31,813.3 USD bn in Mar 2025, representing an increased of 4.0 % YoY

View quarterly updates and historical trends for US Credit Card Debt. from United States. Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Track economic data wi…

Generation X was the group of people with the highest average credit card balance in the United States in the 3rd quarter of 2024. That year, the average credit card debt of generation Z amounted to approximately ***** U.S. dollars. People in the silent generation had a credit card balance of roughly ***** U.S. dollars.

The average amount of non-mortgage debt held by consumers in the United States has been falling steadily during the past years, amounting to ****** U.S. dollars in 2023. While respondents had ****** U.S. dollars of debt in 2018, that volume decreased to ****** U.S. dollars in 2019, which constituted the largest year-over-year decrease.What age groups are more indebted in the U.S.?The age group with the highest level of consumer debt in the U.S. was belonging to the Generation X with approximately ******* U.S. dollars of debt in 2022. The next generations with high consumer debt levels were baby boomers and millennials, whose debt levels were similar. In comparison, credit card debt is more equally distributed across all ages. There is an exception among people under 35 years old, who are significantly less burdened with credit card debt. However, most consumers expect to get rid of their debt in the short term. College expenses as a source of debtEducational expenses were not among the leading sources of debt among consumers in the U.S. in 2022. Instead, they made up about ** percent of the total. However, around ** percent of undergraduates from lower-income families had student loans, while over a fifth of undergraduates from higher-income families had student loans. Independently of how they cover these expenses, the confidence of students and parents about being able to pay these college costs was high in most cases.

The average consumer debt balance in the United States has peaked in 2024 at roughly ******* U.S. dollars. However, average consumer debt had decreased between 2010 and 2013, when it reached approximately ****** U.S. dollars. Here, consumer debt refers to student and car loans, credit cards, personal loans, mortgages, and other types of debt.

Graph and download economic data for Household Debt Service Payments as a Percent of Disposable Personal Income (TDSP) from Q1 1980 to Q2 2025 about disposable, payments, personal income, debt, percent, households, personal, income, services, and USA.

Debt Balance Credit Cards in the United States increased to 1.23 Trillion USD in the third quarter of 2025 from 1.21 Trillion USD in the second quarter of 2025. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United States Debt Balance Credit Cards.

Graph and download economic data for Consumer Loans: Credit Cards and Other Revolving Plans, All Commercial Banks (CCLACBW027SBOG) from 2000-06-28 to 2025-11-19 about revolving, credit cards, loans, consumer, banks, depository institutions, and USA.

United States Household Debt: Credit Card data was reported at 815.000 USD bn in Mar 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 834.000 USD bn for Dec 2017. United States Household Debt: Credit Card data is updated quarterly, averaging 703.000 USD bn from Mar 1999 (Median) to Mar 2018, with 77 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 866.000 USD bn in Dec 2008 and a record low of 480.000 USD bn in Jun 1999. United States Household Debt: Credit Card data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.KA012: Household Debt.

United States HH Debt: Balance: New Delinquent Loan: Credit Card data was reported at 6.840 % in Mar 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.950 % for Dec 2019. United States HH Debt: Balance: New Delinquent Loan: Credit Card data is updated quarterly, averaging 8.081 % from Mar 2003 (Median) to Mar 2020, with 69 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.780 % in Dec 2009 and a record low of 5.073 % in Jun 2016. United States HH Debt: Balance: New Delinquent Loan: Credit Card data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.KB027: Household Debt.

Graph and download economic data for Delinquency Rate on Credit Card Loans, All Commercial Banks (DRCCLACBS) from Q1 1991 to Q3 2025 about credit cards, delinquencies, commercial, loans, banks, depository institutions, rate, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Commercial Bank Interest Rate on Credit Card Plans, All Accounts (TERMCBCCALLNS) from Nov 1994 to Aug 2025 about credit cards, consumer credit, loans, consumer, interest rate, banks, depository institutions, interest, rate, and USA.

HH Debt: Credit Card: Limit data was reported at 3,931.000 USD bn in Mar 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 3,897.000 USD bn for Dec 2019. HH Debt: Credit Card: Limit data is updated quarterly, averaging 2,913.000 USD bn from Mar 1999 (Median) to Mar 2020, with 85 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,931.000 USD bn in Mar 2020 and a record low of 1,380.000 USD bn in Jun 1999. HH Debt: Credit Card: Limit data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.KB027: Household Debt.

This dataset provides values for HOUSEHOLDS DEBT TO INCOME reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

The total average non-mortgage debt of Baby Boomers in the United States amounted to nearly 18,470 U.S. dollars in 2024. Debt balances, however, varied greatly according to the generation. The Generation X held the highest debt on average, while the silent generation held the lowest average debt.

The debt settlement solution market is experiencing significant growth, driven by rising consumer debt levels and increasing awareness of debt relief options. While precise market size figures for the base year (2025) are unavailable, a reasonable estimate, considering the average market growth of similar financial services and consulting sectors, could place the market value at approximately $5 billion in 2025. This is based on a projected CAGR (let's assume a CAGR of 10% for illustrative purposes, reflecting a healthy but realistic growth rate within the financial services sector) and taking into account factors like increased personal debt, economic downturns, and the evolving regulatory landscape affecting the debt relief industry. The market is segmented by various service types (negotiation with creditors, debt consolidation, bankruptcy assistance, etc.), customer demographics (age, income, debt type), and geographic location. Key market drivers include the persistent rise in household debt, particularly student loan debt and credit card debt, coupled with limited financial literacy among consumers, making them vulnerable to unsustainable debt burdens. Growing marketing and advertising efforts by debt relief companies also contribute to market growth. However, market growth faces several restraints. Stringent regulatory frameworks and increased scrutiny from consumer protection agencies are shaping industry practices and potentially limiting aggressive marketing. Economic fluctuations directly impact consumer debt levels and their ability to afford debt settlement services. Furthermore, the negative perception associated with debt settlement, despite its potential benefits in certain situations, continues to deter some consumers seeking relief. The competitive landscape is also intensifying with both established players like National Debt Relief and Freedom Debt Relief, and new entrants vying for market share. Successful companies will need to differentiate themselves through superior customer service, transparent pricing, and a proven track record of successful debt settlements, navigating a complex regulatory environment while effectively communicating the value proposition to consumers. Future market growth will depend on economic conditions, regulatory changes, and the continued development of innovative and consumer-friendly debt solutions.

Key information about Ukraine Household Debt

• Ukraine Household Debt reached 8.5 USD bn in Oct 2025, compared with the reported number of 8.5 USD bn in the previous month
• Ukraine Household Debt: USD mn data is updated monthly, available from Dec 2002 to Oct 2025
• The data reached an all-time high of 43.9 USD bn in Sep 2008 and a record low of 685.6 USD mn in Dec 2002

• In the latest reports, Ukraine Household Debt accounted for 4.0 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Jun 2025
• Money Supply M2 in Ukraine increased 88.9 USD bn YoY in Oct 2025
• Ukraine Foreign Exchange Reserves was measured at 45.6 USD bn in Oct 2025
• The Foreign Exchange Reserves equaled 6.3 Months of Import in Aug 2025
• Ukraine Domestic Credit reached 59.8 USD bn in Oct 2025, representing an drop of 5.5 % YoY

In the third quarter of 2022, households in the United States had, on average, ****** U.S. dollars of mortgage debt. That was the biggest component of their personal debt burden. The value per capita of car and student loans was much lower, but still contributed more to the level of household indebtedness than credit cards or HE revolving.