U.S. Consumer Debt Hits $18.19 Trillion in Q1 2026

Subprime Borrower Activity Fuels Bankcard Growth; Delinquency Rates Improve for Most Loans, but Rise for Student Debt ATLANTA, May 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax® (NYSE: EFX) has released its Market Pulse First Quarter U.S. Consumer Credit Trends, which includes U.S. national consumer credit data and trends through March 2026 sourced from Equifax proprietary data. Consumer debt balances reached an all-time high of $18.19 trillion in March, heavily influenced by an increase in subprime borrowers opening new bank cards and carrying higher balances.