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.

Debt Balance Credit Cards in the United States decreased to 1.18 Trillion USD in the first quarter of 2025 from 1.21 Trillion USD in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United States Debt Balance Credit Cards.

Key information about United States Household Debt

• United States Household Debt reached 18,036.0 USD bn in Dec 2024, compared with the reported number of 17,943.0 USD bn in the previous quarter
• US Household Debt: USD mn data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1999 to Dec 2024
• The data reached an all-time high of 18,036.0 USD bn in Dec 2024 and a record low of 4,540.0 USD bn in Mar 1999

• In the latest reports, United States Household Debt accounted for 61.7 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Dec 2024
• Money Supply M2 in United States increased 21,533.8 USD bn YoY in Dec 2024
• United States Foreign Exchange Reserves was measured at 34.9 USD bn in Dec 2024
• The Foreign Exchange Reserves equaled 0.1 Months of Import in Dec 2024
• United States Domestic Credit reached 30,648.3 USD bn in Mar 2024, representing an drop of 0.3 % YoY

Graph and download economic data for Personal Saving Rate (PSAVERT) from Jan 1959 to May 2025 about savings, personal, rate, and USA.

Credit bureaus and rating agencies in the US have experienced notable growth in recent years due to heightened demand for information. The reliance on data analytics has driven increased interest in these services, which provide vital information on creditworthiness for both individuals and businesses. This has been particularly significant as businesses and individuals seek to make well-informed financial decisions. Despite challenges related to the pandemic, inflation and high interest rates, the industry has thrived and profit has soared, indicating its resilience and the critical nature of the services it offers in a data-driven economy. While long-term demand for information has buoyed the industry, providers’ trajectory has been influenced by broader economic conditions, notably equity market fluctuations. The industry weathered initial pandemic-related disruptions, which precipitated a sharp fall in stock prices and corporate profit. Nonetheless, rapid fiscal and monetary responses bolstered investor confidence and led to a robust rebound in equity markets, contributing to massive revenue growth in 2020 and 2021. Soaring interest rates in 2022 and 2023 boosted recessionary fears among investors, hindering demand for equities, reducing stock prices and thus contributing to a major drop in revenue in 2022. These effects have percolated into the real economy as consumer and business borrowing has slowed, constraining aggregate household debt and corporate debt. These effects have negatively impacted the industry in 2023 and 2024, though a rebound in the stock market has prevented a major collapse in revenue. Overall, revenue for credit bureaus and rating agencies in the US is anticipated to soar at a CAGR of 4.3% over the past five years, reaching $16.4 billion in 2024. This includes a 1.3% drop in revenue in that year. Looking ahead, credit bureaus and rating agencies will face a more tempered growth trajectory over the next five years. The broad adoption of online services and data analytics has led to market saturation, reducing opportunities for exponential revenue growth. Nonetheless, stable economic growth and business formation should sustain a steady demand for credit reporting and rating services. The predicted slower growth in equity prices will moderate financial institutions' borrowing capacity, which will also contribute to the slowdown in revenue growth. Overall, revenue for credit bureaus and rating agencies in the United States is forecast to inch upward at a CAGR of 1.1% over the next five years, reaching $17.4 billion in 2029.