Americans’ total credit-card balance reached a record $1.25 trillion in the first quarter of 2026, up nearly 6% (5.9%) from $1.18 trillion in the same quarter a year earlier, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
At the same time, 13.12% of credit-card balances were at least 90 days delinquent, the highest level in 15 years and the worst reading since the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis.
