Credit card debt in the United States has climbed to $1.26tn between April and June, nearing the record high of $1.28tn seen last year. This increase was detailed in a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
The report, published on Tuesday, also indicated a $21bn, or 1.7%, rise in credit card debt during the second quarter compared to earlier this year. This means Americans carried higher debt into the summer months than in the first three months of 2026.
While mortgage and student loan balances saw a small decline, other debt products experienced increases. Concerns have been raised about household stress due to a rise in credit card debt more than 90 days past due, which increased from 7.6% in late 2022 to 12.8% early this year, a rate not seen since the Great Recession.
The overall share of household debt held by those behind on payments slightly decreased to 4.7% of outstanding balances between April and June, down from 4.8% in the prior quarter. Additionally, US consumers took out a record $211bn in auto loans in nominal terms during the April to June period.