Report: Credit card debt projected to decrease $61B

By Christine Johnson
The Center Square

It is predicted that there will be a $61 billion decrease in credit card debt based on new data set to be released on Friday by the Federal Reserve, according to a new report from WalletHub.

If proven true, the decrease in debt could affect millions of people, as roughly 191 million Americans own at least one credit card, according to Forbes in 2026.

WalletHub predicts that credit card debt will decline by $61 billion during the first quarter of 2026. This projected decrease is 6% lower than the previous first quarter years.

If confirmed by Friday’s Federal Reserve data release, WalletHub’s projection would mark a significant turnaround from recent years, with total credit card debt expected to fall to roughly $1.35 trillion, about 14% below its record high.

Despite the projected decrease, WalletHub still predicts that the total credit card debt will increase by $60 billion dollars in 2026.

John Kiernan, a WalletHub Editor, said this data may look promising in the first and second quarter, but debt typically picks up more during the end of the year.

“Consumers typically shed some debt in the first quarter, then gradually regain it throughout the year, before really packing it on during the holidays,” Kiernan said.

The official data from the Federal Reserve is set to be released this Friday at 4 p.m.