Argentina's household and business loan delinquency reaches record high

A report by the Centro de Economía Política Argentina (CEPA) using Central Bank data shows that loan delinquency in Argentina surged in May 2026. Household arrears rose to 12.8 % – nearly triple the level a year earlier and up from 2.5 % in October 2024 – marking the highest rate in more than two decades. Corporate delinquency was lower, at 3.0‑3.5 %. Delinquency on non‑bank virtual‑wallet providers hit a historic 29.6 %, surpassing the pandemic peak of 27.1 % and pushing the combined financial‑system delinquency to about 15.5 %.

The study identified 5.8 million borrowers in arrears out of 20.9 million total credit users, with young adults most exposed – roughly 40 % of those aged 18‑24 are behind on payments. Regions with the worst figures include Cuyo, San Luis (20.1 %) and La Ríoja (22.8 %).

The rising arrears have triggered parliamentary debate. Lawmakers are considering a debt‑relief program that would allow ANSES to grant loans of up to 1.5 million pesos to distressed families, alongside other measures to support credit‑card and fintech users.