Number represents 44.4% of the country’s adult population; The 30 to 39 age group is the most affected
In March 2026, Brazil recorded the highest default rate in its history. According to data released by the CNDL (National Confederation of Retail Managers) and the SPC (Credit Protection Service), 74.31 million Brazilians are in arrears with their bills. The volume represents 44.42% of the country’s entire adult population.
Between March and March, the number of debtors grew 0.92%. The annual increase was concentrated on the inclusion of people who had been negative for 4 to 5 years, which had a significant increase of 36.54%.
For the president of the CNDL, José César da Costa, the scenario acts as a brake on the economy. “When a significant portion of the population leaves the consumer market and loses access to credit, we interrupt the capital circulation cycle,” he stated. According to him, without relief measures, there is a risk of stagnation in retail and service sales.
DEBT PROFILE
In March, each defaulter owed, on average, R$5,044.65, divided between around 2 to 3 creditor companies. Almost 3 in 10 consumers (29.79%) had outstanding amounts of up to R$500. Banks account for the majority of debts (66.39%), followed by basic water and electricity bills (10.63%).
The survey shows that the largest concentration of debtors is between 30 and 39 years old, totaling 18.12 million people. The data indicates that more than half (53.45%) of the population of this age is negative. The division by gender is balanced, with a slight female predominance (51.40%).
REGIONAL SCENARIO
In proportional terms, the Central-West is the region with the highest percentage of defaulters: 47.99% of the local adult population is on credit protection registers. The South, on the other hand, has the lowest proportion (40.18%).
The president of SPC Brasil, Roque Pellizzaro Júnior, highlighted the urgency of structuring policies to stop the problem. “Without a solid educational base, consumers clear their name today, but go back into debt tomorrow, keeping the country in an eternal cycle of financial vulnerability”, declared.
