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Unexpected Expenses May Be the Next Opportunity for Credit Card Installment Plans

(New York, NY) Installment plans have taken many forms over the year but have traditionally been associated with discretionary retail purchases like furniture, electronics, and travel. However, new research from Auriemma Group’s latest issue of The Payments Report suggests debit cardholders increasingly view installment plans as a tool for managing unexpected expenses rather than simply financing planned purchases.

Emergency expenses now rank as the leading use case for credit card installment plans. More than one-third of cardholders say they would consider using an installment plan for an emergency expense (38%) or medical and dental expenses (33%), surpassing furniture and home improvement purchases (33%), electronics and appliances (29%), and travel or vacations (27%).

“Installment plans are no longer viewed solely as a way to finance discretionary purchases,” says Jonathan O’Connor, Senior Manager of Research at Auriemma Group. “Cardholders see them as a source of financial flexibility when confronted with unexpected or difficult-to-budget expenses. Shifting the conversation from shopping convenience to financial resilience.”

Emergency and medical expenses stand out as credit card installment’s predominant use cases because they align closely with how current users value the feature. Among those who used credit card installment plans in the past 12 months, the top reasons were managing cash flow (46%), gaining flexibility without applying for separate financing (38%), and having greater control over repayment timing (37%). As a result, the product increasingly resembles a financial planning tool rather than a retail financing solution.

Unlike traditional Buy Now, Pay Later or retailer-provided installment options, which are often tied to specific merchants and planned purchases, credit card installment plans can be applied across a much broader range of spending categories. This flexibility can be especially useful when unexpected costs arise, allowing cardholders to access financing after the need emerges rather than only when an offer appears at checkout.

“Historically, installment payments have been associated with retail and planned purchases,” says O’Connor. “But cardholders are telling us the greater opportunity may be helping them manage life’s surprises. Healthcare costs, emergency repairs, and other unplanned expenses don’t always come with financing options. That creates an opportunity for credit card installment plans to differentiate themselves from traditional Buy Now, Pay Later by providing financial flexibility wherever and whenever unexpected expenses occur.”

Survey Methodology

The Payments Report

This Auriemma Group study was conducted online within the US by an independent field service provider on behalf of Auriemma Group (Auriemma) in June 2026 among 800 adult debit cardholders. The number of interviews completed for both is sufficient to allow for statistical significance testing among sub-groups at the 95% confidence level ±5%, unless otherwise noted. The purpose of the research was not disclosed, nor did respondents know the criteria for qualifying.

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AI Awareness Reaches New Highs, But Cardholders are Becoming Selective About its Involvement

(New York, NY) Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape the payments landscape, with providers investing heavily in AI-assisted solutions for their customers. However, Auriemma Group’s latest issue of Mobile Pay Tracker finds that while awareness of AI assistants grows, interest in using them has declined.

Across two recent surveys conducted in January and April 2026, awareness of AI assistants increased from 68% to 81%, while interest remained stagnant or dropped for those offered by card issuers, networks, airlines, hotels, and others. The findings suggest that as AI becomes more mainstream, cardholders are increasingly discerning about where and how they are willing to incorporate the technology into their financial lives.

“Awareness of AI-supported tools is growing rapidly,” says Jonathan O’Connor, Senior Manager of Research at Auriemma Group. “Cardholders are becoming more pragmatic in how they view AI. Interest remains strongest when AI acts as an advisor or assistant, rather than an autonomous decision-maker.”

Fewer cardholders say they are likely to allow AI to complete a purchase on their behalf than at the start of the year, dropping from 46% to 35% over the two survey periods. However, some find value in using AI tools to help them find the best prices or deals and comparing products, indicating that the technology may find early success helping cardholders with research-centric shopping tasks rather than payment-centric ones.

In fact, 24% of cardholders turn to AI assistants like ChatGPT when researching retail products or services, and 15% do the same when gathering information about financial products or services. While traditional search engines like Google may still be the primary research tool, AI’s presence in this space this early in its tenure is notable.

“While AI may not dominate cardholders’ research of financial products, its impact is noticeable,” says O’Connor. “Our research found that 54% of those who used AI for financial research have applied for a financial product based on AI interactions, highlighting the importance for card issuers and brands to optimize their product pages for AI searching.”

Although cardholders are becoming more measured in their enthusiasm for AI, the technology’s potential influence remains substantial. Many current users already report acting on AI recommendations, suggesting that even incremental increases in adoption could reshape how cardholders research, evaluate, and select both financial and retail products.

Survey Methodology

Mobile Pay Tracker

This Auriemma Group study was conducted online within the US by an independent field service provider on behalf of Auriemma Group (Auriemma) in June 2026 among 2,450 Mobile Pay (i.e., Apple Pay, Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet) eligible adult credit cardholders. The number of interviews completed for both is sufficient to allow for statistical significance testing among sub-groups at the 95% confidence level ±5%, unless otherwise noted. The purpose of the research was not disclosed, nor did respondents know the criteria for qualifying.

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Where is there Opportunity for Issuers in a K-Shaped Credit Card Market?

(New York, NY) As issuers continue to invest in premium products with richer benefits and elevated annual fees, many cardholders feel caught in the middle—between cards that feel ultra-premium or ultra-basic. According to Auriemma Group’s latest issue of Cardbeat US, what many cardholders are looking for is a middle-market option, and issuers able to provide one could discover an underserved segment of the cardholder population.

Most cardholders believe credit cards place too much emphasis on premium benefits. Six-in-ten (60%) agree that they focus too heavily on premium perks and benefits, while 44% say most cards available today are either too premium or too basic for their needs. At the same time, 57% feel forced to choose between cards with high fees and strong rewards or low-cost cards with limited value.

“Cardholders are telling us the market feels increasingly polarized,” says Jonathan O’Connor, Senior Manager of Research at Auriemma Group. “For many, the choice isn’t between good or bad card offerings—it’s between paying for benefits they don’t fully use or settling for a product that feels stripped down.”

Recent premium card program refreshes— like the Chase Sapphire Reserve —have largely focused on the high-end of the market, with greater annual fees and premium travel benefits. Broader cardholder demand appears to be for lower-fee offerings.

Only 14% of cardholders say they would prefer a card with strong rewards and benefits paired with a high annual fee. By comparison, 32% prefer moderate rewards and benefits with a modest fee, while nearly half prefer a no-fee card with fewer rewards and benefits.

Auriemma’s research reveals a growing demand for non-premium cards. Among the 31% of cardholders who feel cards in market do not meet their needs, the leading reasons are high interest rates, annual fees that exceed the card’s value , and rewards misaligned to their spending habits.

“Many cardholders aren’t looking for more premium benefits—they’re looking for a better balance,” says O’Connor. “Access to sufficient credit, rewards that are easy to redeem, competitive rates, and value that aligns with everyday spending consistently rank above aspirational perks. For issuers, their growth opportunity may not be to move further upmarket, but to build products that better serve the cardholders in between.”

Survey Methodology

Cardbeat US

This Auriemma Group study was conducted online within the US by an independent field service provider on behalf of Auriemma Group in March 2026 among 800 adult credit cardholders. The number of interviews completed is sufficient to allow for statistical significance testing among sub-groups at the 95% confidence level ±5%, unless otherwise noted. The purpose of the research was not disclosed, nor did respondents know the criteria for qualifying

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Is Funding Really a Barrier to Co-Brand Debit?

(New York, NY) Co-brand debit cards continue to gain attention across the payments industry, but questions remain about whether they can achieve notable adoption in a market long dominated by credit. One commonly cited challenge is funding—unlike credit cards, co-brand debit programs require cardholders to actively move or maintain money in an associated account. Auriemma Group’s latest issue of The Payments Report examines how cardholders are funding co-brand debit cards today and finds that concerns about this potential barrier may be overstated.

Auriemma’s data indicates co-brand debit cardholders tend to have an easy time managing their account. From opening (75% easy), funding (75%), and linking to other bank accounts (70%), co-brand debit accounts appear to deliver a low-friction experience. For issuers and brands, this suggests that usability may be less of a challenge than driving initial interest and engagement.

“Cardholders most often link a direct deposit to their co-brand debit account, but transfer-based funding is utilized too,” says Jonathan O’Connor, Senior Manager of Research at Auriemma Group. “And most of those who do not currently hold a co-brand card say they would likely fund it the same way if they acquired one.”

Not only are co-brand debit cardholders funding their accounts, Auriemma’s research found that 43% would maintain a balance of at least $1,000 if their card offered 1% cash back on partner brand purchases, gas, and groceries, and 0.5% cash back on everything else. Additionally, nearly three-quarters would fund that account at least monthly, highlighting that the product could become a competitor to traditional debit.

“Funding co-brand debit accounts may be less of a barrier than expected,” says O’Connor. “Cardholders are not only open to a variety of funding methods, but many indicate a willingness to fund them regularly and keep substantial balances in these accounts. That suggests the bigger challenge for issuers and brands may not be getting money into the account—it may be creating a sustainable rewards proposition strong enough to motivate cardholders to make the account part of their everyday financial lives.”

Drawing on insights from recent issues of The Payments Report, Auriemma Group will be exploring these findings and more in a member-exclusive webinar Rethinking Co‑Brand Cards: Debit’s Emerging Role on June 24 from 2:00–2:45pm EST. The session will examine where co-brand debit fits within today’s payments landscape, why it is gaining momentum, and the key considerations for issuers and brand partners as they evaluate future program strategies.

Members interested in joining should email research@auriemma.group for more information.

Survey Methodology

The Payments Report

This Auriemma Group study was conducted online within the US by an independent field service provider on behalf of Auriemma Group (Auriemma) in April 2026 among 800 adult debit cardholders. The number of interviews completed for both is sufficient to allow for statistical significance testing among sub-groups at the 95% confidence level ±5%, unless otherwise noted. The purpose of the research was not disclosed, nor did respondents know the criteria for qualifying.

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Are Co-Brand Debit Cards Ready for a Second Look?

(New York, NY) Co-brand card programs have long centered around credit, but debit-based offerings are beginning to emerge. Co-brand debit cards represent an opportunity for brands and issuers to maintain engagement when credit approval is not possible, according to Auriemma Group’s latest issue of The Payments Report.

If declined for a co-branded credit card with a 5/2/1 rewards structure, 53% of debit cardholders say they are likely to accept a second-look co-brand debit card offering 1% cash back and $100 sign-up bonus after spending $500 in the first 90 days. In fact, nearly two-thirds of debit cardholders view co-brand debit as a steppingstone to a brand’s credit card and say a positive experience with it would make them more likely to apply for one.

“Brands and issuers have an opportunity to turn a declined credit application into a constructive experience,” says Jonathan O’Connor, Senior Manager of Research at Auriemma Group. “A well-structured debit alternative—backed by a recognized issuer and anchored in upfront incentives—can keep a would-be cardholder in the brand’s ecosystem rather than losing them at the point of rejection.”

Co-brand debit gives brands a path to re-engage customers who might otherwise be lost after a credit denial—meeting them where they already are. Debit cardholders gravitate toward the product for practical reasons: they want to spend money they already have, avoid accumulating interest, and maintain tighter control over their finances. A co-brand debit offer respects those preferences while keeping the customer in the brand’s orbit.

“Co-brand debit cards aren’t a consolation prize—they are a strategic entry point,” says O’Connor. “While the product can find success as a second-look offering, we believe it also has the potential to stand on its own and will continue exploring that in upcoming research.”

Survey Methodology

The Payments Report

This Auriemma Group study was conducted online within the US by an independent field service provider on behalf of Auriemma Group (Auriemma) in October 2025 among 800 adult debit cardholders. The number of interviews completed for both is sufficient to allow for statistical significance testing among sub-groups at the 95% confidence level ±5%, unless otherwise noted. The purpose of the research was not disclosed, nor did respondents know the criteria for qualifying.

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