Commercial Bank Interest Rate on Credit Card Plans
Average interest rate on credit card plans
Where the Commercial Bank Interest Rate on Credit Card Plans stands now
The Commercial Bank Interest Rate on Credit Card Plans was 21.19% in the third quarter of 2026, down from the 21.76% peak in the third quarter of 2024. It has been lower than a year earlier for seven quarters in a row, though it rose from the second quarter of 2026.
What it means for households: Credit Card Default Statistics Behind on payments? Your Rights with Debt Collectors
How the Commercial Bank Interest Rate on Credit Card Plans has moved since 1994
Commercial Bank Interest Rate on Credit Card Plans: little changed over the past year
Commercial bank credit card interest rate, percentage: 21.19% in the third quarter of 2026, little changed from 21.39% a year earlier. Quarterly, 1994–2026.
What the Commercial Bank Interest Rate on Credit Card Plans measures
A higher rate is worse for households.
Commercial Bank Interest Rate on Credit Card Plans by quarter, 1994 to 2026
| Quarter | Rate (%) | Change from a year earlier (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | 21.19 | −0.20 |
| Q2 2026 | 20.94 | −0.22 |
| Q1 2026 | 21.00 | −0.37 |
| Q4 2025 | 20.97 | −0.50 |
| Q3 2025 | 21.39 | −0.37 |
| Q2 2025 | 21.16 | −0.35 |
| Q1 2025 | 21.37 | −0.22 |
| Q4 2024 | 21.47 | 0.00 |
| Q3 2024 | 21.76 | +0.57 |
| Q2 2024 | 21.51 | +0.67 |
| Q1 2024 | 21.59 | +1.50 |
| Q4 2023 | 21.47 | +2.40 |
| Q3 2023 | 21.19 | +4.92 |
| Q2 2023 | 20.84 | +5.71 |
| Q1 2023 | 20.09 | +5.53 |
| Q4 2022 | 19.07 | +4.56 |
| Q3 2022 | 16.27 | +1.73 |
| Q2 2022 | 15.13 | +0.52 |
| Q1 2022 | 14.56 | −0.19 |
| Q4 2021 | 14.51 | −0.14 |
| Q3 2021 | 14.54 | −0.04 |
| Q2 2021 | 14.61 | +0.09 |
| Q1 2021 | 14.75 | −0.34 |
| Q4 2020 | 14.65 | −0.22 |
| Q3 2020 | 14.58 | −0.52 |
| Q2 2020 | 14.52 | −0.61 |
| Q1 2020 | 15.09 | 0.00 |
| Q4 2019 | 14.87 | +0.14 |
| Q3 2019 | 15.10 | +0.72 |
| Q2 2019 | 15.13 | +0.99 |
| Q1 2019 | 15.09 | +1.46 |
| Q4 2018 | 14.73 | +1.57 |
| Q3 2018 | 14.38 | +1.30 |
| Q2 2018 | 14.14 | +1.37 |
| Q1 2018 | 13.63 | +1.09 |
| Q4 2017 | 13.16 | +0.75 |
| Q3 2017 | 13.08 | +0.57 |
| Q2 2017 | 12.77 | +0.61 |
| Q1 2017 | 12.54 | +0.23 |
| Q4 2016 | 12.41 | +0.19 |
| Q3 2016 | 12.51 | +0.41 |
| Q2 2016 | 12.16 | +0.12 |
| Q1 2016 | 12.31 | +0.33 |
| Q4 2015 | 12.22 | +0.23 |
| Q3 2015 | 12.10 | +0.28 |
| Q2 2015 | 12.04 | +0.21 |
| Q1 2015 | 11.98 | +0.15 |
| Q4 2014 | 11.99 | +0.14 |
| Q3 2014 | 11.82 | −0.06 |
| Q2 2014 | 11.83 | −0.12 |
| Q1 2014 | 11.83 | −0.11 |
| Q4 2013 | 11.85 | −0.03 |
| Q3 2013 | 11.88 | −0.07 |
| Q2 2013 | 11.95 | −0.11 |
| Q1 2013 | 11.94 | −0.40 |
| Q4 2012 | 11.88 | −0.48 |
| Q3 2012 | 11.95 | −0.33 |
| Q2 2012 | 12.06 | −0.83 |
| Q1 2012 | 12.34 | −1.10 |
| Q4 2011 | 12.36 | −1.08 |
| Q3 2011 | 12.28 | −1.31 |
| Q2 2011 | 12.89 | −0.95 |
| Q1 2011 | 13.44 | −0.82 |
| Q4 2010 | 13.44 | −0.16 |
| Q3 2010 | 13.59 | −0.12 |
| Q2 2010 | 13.84 | +0.52 |
| Q1 2010 | 14.26 | +1.29 |
| Q4 2009 | 13.60 | +1.57 |
| Q3 2009 | 13.71 | +1.77 |
| Q2 2009 | 13.32 | +1.44 |
| Q1 2009 | 12.97 | +0.50 |
| Q4 2008 | 12.03 | −0.72 |
| Q3 2008 | 11.94 | −1.65 |
| Q2 2008 | 11.88 | −1.58 |
| Q1 2008 | 12.47 | −0.94 |
| Q4 2007 | 12.75 | −0.56 |
| Q3 2007 | 13.59 | +0.53 |
| Q2 2007 | 13.46 | +0.30 |
| Q1 2007 | 13.41 | +0.11 |
| Q4 2006 | 13.31 | +0.73 |
| Q3 2006 | 13.06 | +0.58 |
| Q2 2006 | 13.16 | +0.39 |
| Q1 2006 | 13.30 | +1.09 |
| Q4 2005 | 12.58 | +0.07 |
| Q3 2005 | 12.48 | −0.54 |
| Q2 2005 | 12.77 | +0.08 |
| Q1 2005 | 12.21 | −0.46 |
| Q4 2004 | 12.51 | +0.16 |
| Q3 2004 | 13.02 | +0.55 |
| Q2 2004 | 12.69 | +0.57 |
| Q1 2004 | 12.67 | +0.41 |
| Q4 2003 | 12.35 | −0.76 |
| Q3 2003 | 12.47 | −0.89 |
| Q2 2003 | 12.12 | −1.41 |
| Q1 2003 | 12.26 | −1.36 |
| Q4 2002 | 13.11 | −1.10 |
| Q3 2002 | 13.36 | −1.23 |
| Q2 2002 | 13.53 | −1.53 |
| Q1 2002 | 13.62 | −2.01 |
| Q4 2001 | 14.21 | −1.78 |
| Q3 2001 | 14.59 | −1.39 |
| Q2 2001 | 15.06 | −0.54 |
| Q1 2001 | 15.63 | +0.08 |
| Q4 2000 | 15.99 | +0.87 |
| Q3 2000 | 15.98 | +0.91 |
| Q2 2000 | 15.60 | +0.41 |
| Q1 2000 | 15.55 | +0.16 |
| Q4 1999 | 15.12 | −0.55 |
| Q3 1999 | 15.07 | −0.75 |
| Q2 1999 | 15.19 | −0.46 |
| Q1 1999 | 15.39 | −0.29 |
| Q4 1998 | 15.67 | −0.09 |
| Q3 1998 | 15.82 | +0.02 |
| Q2 1998 | 15.65 | −0.09 |
| Q1 1998 | 15.68 | −0.20 |
| Q4 1997 | 15.76 | +0.14 |
| Q3 1997 | 15.80 | +0.14 |
| Q2 1997 | 15.74 | +0.30 |
| Q1 1997 | 15.88 | +0.08 |
| Q4 1996 | 15.62 | −0.19 |
| Q3 1996 | 15.66 | −0.26 |
| Q2 1996 | 15.44 | −0.70 |
| Q1 1996 | 15.80 | −0.30 |
| Q4 1995 | 15.81 | +0.12 |
| Q3 1995 | 15.92 | — |
| Q2 1995 | 16.14 | — |
| Q1 1995 | 16.10 | — |
| Q4 1994 | 15.69 | — |
Quarterly · Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System data retrieved via FRED (TERMCBCCALLNS)
Counties with the highest debt burden scores
There's no county figure for this measure, so this list uses the debt burden part of our County Distress Index.
| Rank | County | Score (0–100) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bronx County, NY | 99.6 |
| 2 | Miami-Dade County, FL | 99.4 |
| 3 | Rockland County, NY | 99.4 |
| 4 | Clayton County, GA | 99.1 |
| 5 | Broward County, FL | 99 |
| 6 | Palm Beach County, FL | 98.8 |
| 7 | Santa Barbara County, CA | 98.4 |
| 8 | St. Lucie County, FL | 98.4 |
| 9 | Osceola County, FL | 98.3 |
| 10 | Orleans Parish, LA | 98 |
Questions about the Commercial Bank Interest Rate on Credit Card Plans
What is the current average credit card interest rate?
The average interest rate on credit card accounts at U.S. commercial banks was 21.19% in the third quarter of 2026, little changed from 21.39% a year earlier, according to the Federal Reserve's G.19 consumer credit release. It averages the stated APR across all general-purpose card accounts at a panel of card-issuing banks, including accounts that pay no interest. Source: Federal Reserve G.19 data retrieved via FRED (TERMCBCCALLNS).
Is this the rate people carrying a balance pay?
No. It averages the stated APR across all card accounts at reporting banks, including inactive accounts and people who pay in full, who pay no interest. The Fed publishes a separate rate on accounts assessed interest for that. Neither series includes fees.
Can I use this rate to work out what Americans pay in interest?
No. It is a rate averaged across accounts, not the rate actually paid, so multiplying it by total card balances does not give a dollar figure. People who pay their statement in full each month pay no interest.
Where does the credit card APR data come from?
The Federal Reserve publishes it in its monthly G.19 consumer credit release, one reading per quarter, from a voluntary survey of card-issuing commercial banks. FRED republishes it as TERMCBCCALLNS.
Sources and method for the Commercial Bank Interest Rate on Credit Card Plans
- Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System data retrieved via FRED (TERMCBCCALLNS) We use the quarterly figures as published, from the fourth quarter of 1994 through the third quarter of 2026, with no adjustment of our own. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System doesn’t adjust this rate for the season, so compare a quarter with the same quarter a year earlier. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System’s report
We write with assistance from AI tools. Figures come from the data and sources named on this page.