CFPB Exposes Credit Card Tricks: 2025 Report Flags Fee Hikes
Published Date: 1/7/2026
Notice
Summary
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau just dropped its 2025 credit card market report, showing how credit card rules and fees have changed since 2023. This affects anyone with a credit card by highlighting fairer practices and clearer info, helping you avoid surprise fees and unfair interest hikes. The report, released at the end of 2025, signals ongoing efforts to keep credit cards safer and more transparent for all consumers.
Analyzed Economic Effects
8 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 3 costs, 3 mixed.
Credit Card APRs and Interest Rise
If you have a credit card, average APRs were very high in 2024: 25.2% for general purpose cards and 31.3% for private label cards. Consumers were charged $160 billion in interest in 2024, up from $105 billion in 2022.
More Cardholders Making Minimum Payments
The share of cardholders making only the minimum payment was at its highest level since at least 2015. Paying only the minimum typically extends how long you owe and increases total interest paid.
Alternative Data Expands Credit Access
The report says using alternative data, such as bank account cash flow information, is helping expand credit card access, particularly for people with limited credit history. This change is presented as increasing access to credit.
AI Is Increasing Payments Fraud
The report states that artificial intelligence is accelerating the incidence and seriousness of payments-related fraud in 2024. The report identifies rising AI-related fraud as a growing problem.
Applications and New Accounts Declined
U.S. consumers submitted over 153 million credit card applications in 2024, down from over 160 million in 2022 and 2023. New account originations declined 19% to 89 million in 2024, while total credit line across cards rose to over $5.7 trillion.
Large Volume of Disputes and Chargebacks
In 2024, cardholders disputed $9.8 billion in credit card charges and received $5.9 billion in chargebacks. For general purpose cards, 40% of disputes were for cancelled recurring transactions like subscriptions.
Delinquencies Peaked Then Fell
Delinquencies and charge-offs reached historically high levels in early 2024 but later fell back to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024. The report documents this rise and subsequent decline during 2024.
CFPB Not Proposing New Card Rules Now
The Bureau says it is not proposing any new or revised consumer credit card regulations at this time and is focusing on deregulation and reconsideration of past rulemakings. This reflects the Bureau's current regulatory agenda for credit cards.
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