Aruba consumer credit outstanding at banks increased by more than 20 percent in the year to July 2026. The balance rose from more than Afl. 508 million in July 2025 to almost Afl. 616 million, an increase of over Afl. 107 million.
The figures come from the Central Bank of Aruba’s latest monthly data. They show how much consumer credit was outstanding, but they do not identify why households borrowed more or how the funds were used.
Credit rises month over month
Consumer credit also increased from June, when the outstanding amount was approximately Afl. 605 million. The July total was nearly Afl. 11 million higher.
The Central Bank records consumer credit separately from home mortgages. The monthly table does not provide a further breakdown showing which specific types of personal borrowing accounted for the increase.
Mortgage debt also grew, though at a slower annual pace. Outstanding residential mortgages increased from more than Afl. 1.76 billion to nearly Afl. 1.9 billion, a rise of almost 7 percent.
All lending to individuals reached close to Afl. 2.5 billion in July, compared with about Afl. 2.27 billion one year earlier. That represents an increase of roughly 10 percent. Lending to businesses also approached Afl. 2.5 billion, up nearly 19 percent from just under Afl. 2.1 billion.
Households continue to report financial pressure
The increase comes as a separate Central Bank consumer survey shows continued pressure on household finances. Nine in ten respondents said their income bought less than it did six months earlier, while more than 90 percent expected prices to keep rising over the next six months.
About 60 percent said it was a bad time to take out a loan, and nearly two-thirds said the same about obtaining a mortgage.
The credit statistics and the survey measure different things. The data therefore do not prove that weaker purchasing power caused the increase in borrowing. They show that outstanding credit grew rapidly while many consumers reported financial strain.
Source: Information based on reporting from Aruba.nu, citing Central Bank of Aruba data.
