US credit-card balances rose by $21 billion in the second quarter to $1.26 trillion at the end of June 2026, reversing a $25 billion decline in Q1 that had taken balances to $1.25 trillion after the usual post-holiday paydown. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York said the move fits a recurring seasonal cycle in which consumers build up card debt in Q4 and reduce it in the opening months of the next year. The report, released August 11 and based on the New York Fed's Consumer Credit Panel built from Equifax data, tracks mortgages, student loans, auto loans, and credit cards, while excluding cryptocurrency and related assets. Total US household debt stood at $18.8 trillion at the end of Q1 2026. Attention now turns to a forthcoming Liberty Street Economics post on credit-card delinquency metrics, including differences between bureau-reported and lender-reported data that could help show whether borrowers are juggling payments across cards or staying technically current by making minimum payments while falling behind.