Credit Cards in 2027: Sometimes, Boring is Good

Credit managers will find 2027 slow and steady. Don't expect major developments on the consumer side, but watch for acceleration in wholesale and commercial payments as the brands address greenfields in corporate payments with virtual cards, as U.S. payment growth has tempered. You won’t see major product or technology developments, though AI and agentic commerce will be warming up in the background. 

Credit losses work through a 180-day pipeline driven by delinquent account aging. Once you cross the 180-day delinquency line, your account moves into charge-off. Before the charge-off event, lenders, as required by standard accounting rules known as Current Expected Credit Loss, which emerged post-Dodd-Frank, will begin reserving for loan losses well in advance.

Companies Mentioned: 

American Express, Apple, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Coinbase, Comerica, Credit One, Discover, Fanatics, Fetch, FICO, Fifth Third Bank, Goldman Sachs, Huntington Bank, Hypercard, Mastercard, PULSE, Rakuten, Santander Bank, Visa, Webster Bank, Wells Fargo