MarketWatch: A record 38% of Americans now have a personal loan. Here’s what’s really behind that

Rates for personal loans start at a little over 6% and they can sometimes fund in a day. But they’re not right for everyone.

April 05, 2026


A record 38% of consumers have a personal loan, with balances totaling almost $598 billion, a 7.6% increase from the year prior, according to a February 2026 report from Experian on personal loans. What’s more, the percentage of consumers with a personal loan has increased every year since 2017.

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