Argentina household loan delinquency rises to 12.1% in April, three‑fold year‑over‑year increase

In April, delinquency on household loans in Argentina reached 12.1%, up from 3.7% a year earlier, more than tripling the rate seen last year. The surge affects over five million borrowers, with personal loans and credit‑card debt showing the highest arrears – around 15% and 12.5% respectively – while mortgage arrears sit at about 1.5% and corporate loan delinquency remains low at 3.3%.

Juan Cuattromo, president of Banco Provincia, said the problem stems from macro‑economic policy, noting that “it is a problem affecting everyone at the same time.” To alleviate pressure, banks have introduced refinancing options, including personal loans at a 39% rate with terms up to 72 months that can cut monthly payments by up to 40%, and debt‑consolidation schemes designed to extend repayment periods to ten years.

Analysts warn that the growing number of irregular loans threatens household credit access and could dampen private consumption, urging continued monitoring of the situation.