VantageScore CreditGauge™ February 2026: Average VantageScore Increases to 701 as Lenders Boost New Credit Despite Macro Headwinds
SAN FRANCISCO--( BUSINESS WIRE)--Lenders shrugged off macro-economic headwinds and increased their new credit accounts to top-tier consumers, according to the latest edition of CreditGauge™ from VantageScore. Through the end of February 2026, the average VantageScore 4.0 credit score increased by one point to 701, driven by improved balance-to-loan ratios.
“Top-tier consumers increased their new credit accounts as lenders boosted lending to more affluent borrowers,” said Susan Fahy, EVP and Chief Digital, Data and Technology Officer at VantageScore. “These same consumers exhibited increased credit discipline as credit utilization ratios decreased, boosting the average VantageScore to 701.”
Watch CreditGauge LIVE for additional key insights from the February 2026 edition of CreditGauge that include:
AVERAGE VANTAGESCORE 4.0 CREDIT SCORE RISES ON STRENGTH FOR TOP TIER CONSUMERS: In February 2026, the average VantageScore 4.0 credit score ticked up one point to 701 after holding at 700 for the prior two months. Overall consumer credit health remains relatively resilient, as improvements in the credit health of top-tier consumers outweigh the deterioration among lower-tier consumers.
LENDING INCREASES YEAR-OVER-YEAR AS BANKS SELECTIVELY INCREASE ORIGINATIONS TO TOP TIER: Year-over-year, credit originations increased across most products in February 2026, with originations increasing for credit cards (+0.53%), personal loans (+0.38%) and mortgages (+0.05%) compared to February 2025. The increase in originations reflects lenders selectively expanding credit access to more affluent consumers, even as signs of financial strain among lower-tier borrowers emerge.
LOWER-TIER CONSUMERS REMAIN UNDER STRESS: In February 2026, early-stage delinquencies edged up to 1.15%, rising by 0.01% from January 2026 and returning to levels last seen in early 2020. These trends in early-stage delinquencies are most pronounced among lower-tier consumers and suggest financial stress as households continue to navigate elevated interest rates and persistent inflationary pressures.
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CreditGauge is a monthly analysis highlighting the overall health of U.S. consumer credit. To download this month’s full CreditGauge report, visit the VantageScore website.
About VantageScore CreditGauge™
CreditGauge is provided both as a monthly analysis to industry stakeholders as well as through a series of interactive tools at VantageScore.com, which also includes Inclusion360®, RiskRatio™ and MarketGain™. Stakeholders can use the tools to execute additional queries on credit metrics and compare current levels to a pre-pandemic timeframe, starting with January 2020. CreditGauge solely represents the views and analysis of VantageScore and does not necessarily reflect or represent the views of the Nationwide Consumer Reporting Agencies (NCRAs) – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
About VantageScore®
VantageScore is the fastest-growing credit scoring company in the U.S., and is known for the industry’s most innovative, predictive and inclusive credit score models. In 2024, usage of VantageScore increased by 55% to hit 42 billion credit scores. More than 3,700 institutions, including nine of the top 10 U.S. banks, use VantageScore credit scores and digital tools to provide consumer credit products or generate greater insights into consumer behavior. The VantageScore 4.0 credit scoring model scores 33 million more people than traditional models. With the FHFA allowing the immediate use of VantageScore 4.0 for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guaranteed mortgages, the company is also ushering in a new era for mortgage lending.
VantageScore is an independent joint venture company owned by Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.