Overview

• Schufa says new installment loans topped ten million in 2024 for the first time, exceeding the mark by roughly 17,100 contracts.
• Small loans under €1,000 accounted for 49.8% of new agreements, rising 14.6% year over year to 4.99 million from about 20% share in 2020.
• Open installment loans reached about 19.6 million, up by roughly 574,000, with the steepest rise among people aged 35 to 44.
• Schufa and BaFin warn that Buy‑Now‑Pay‑Later and micro‑loans can lead to over‑indebtedness, noting many BNPL deals under €200 are still exempt from credit checks.
• Repayments remain strong with 98.1% of loans paid as agreed and 1.9% in difficulty, as Germany reviews a June 2025 draft to transpose the EU consumer‑credit directive by November 20, 2025.