Gen Z Wants to Build Credit. It Has Few Options.Z世代想建立信用，但選項有限。

Samedi 1 Novembre 2025

When Danny Benson started applying for(If you apply for something, you request it, usually officially, especially in writing or by sending in a form:) apartments after graduating from Syracuse University(雪城大學，雪城大學，簡稱「SU」或「Cuse」，是一所座位於美國紐約州雪城的私立研究型大學。該大學的起源可以追溯到傑納西循道宗神學院，它由紐約的循道宗於1831年創立於紐約州利馬市 。 後來經過幾年遷校雪城的爭論，該大學於 1870 年正式在紐約州雪城成立為獨立的學院。 維基百科) in May, he assumed the hardest part would be finding the right location. He didn’t expect to be rejected before he got an opportunity to submit an application.

Since Benson, 22, didn’t have a credit card during college, he had no credit. He tried to fix that with a Discovery card in June. But the only option the bank gave him was a secured card, which requires a minimum security deposit of $200.

Benson said the deposit requirement established “a dynamic of distrust” (互不信任的循環；聯合報翻譯)and decided not to apply for the secured card. He moved back home with his parents.

Gen Zers are often in their early to late 20s, prime years for establishing credit. But pandemic-era spending, student loan delinquencies(behaviour, especially of a young person, that is illegal or not acceptable to most people:) and inflation have left many young Americans vulnerable(able to be easily physically or mentally hurt, influenced, or attacked:) to long-term financial strain(a force or influence that stretches, pulls, or puts pressure on something, sometimes causing damage: /financial strain: These words are often used together.). As a result, Gen Z borrowers have seen the steepest decline in credit scores of any age group this year. Their average FICO scores fell to 676, well below the national average of 715, according to the inaugural (an inaugural event is the first in a series of planned events:)FICO Score Credit Insights Report.

Gen Z has had fewer opportunities than older generations to build credit early on. Before the Credit Card Act of 2009 was enacted, credit card companies targeted students on college campuses, providing them with easy access to credit. Many young adults also now rely on debit cards or “buy now, pay later” loans for daily expenses, neither of which contributes to credit building.

“With fewer traditional ways to build credit, like homeownership, Gen Z is finding it harder to establish and maintain a strong credit profile,“ said Allie Danziger, senior vice president of AscentUP, a professional development and career readiness platform.

Capital One and Bank of America offer secured and entry-level options. Yet beginner cards are becoming increasingly restrictive and often come with high interest rates, minimal rewards and confusing terms, said Carlo Kobe, CEO of Fizz, a digital fintech helping college students build credit.

(Kailyn Rhone)

備註

雪城大學（英語：Syracuse University），簡稱「SU」或「Cuse」，是一所座位於美國紐約州雪城的私立研究型大學。該大學的起源可以追溯到傑納西循道宗神學院 (Genesee Wesleyan Seminary)，它由紐約的循道宗於1831年創立於紐約州利馬市 (Lima) 。 後來經過幾年遷校雪城的爭論，該大學於 1870 年正式在紐約州雪城成立為獨立的學院。 自 1920 年以來，雪城大學已將自己認定為無宗教派別學校。 

雪城大學被卡內基高等教育分類指標列為最高的第一級研究型大學外，亦被美國政府列為培育出最多傅爾布萊特學者的領先學府之一[6]，校友和教職員包括三位諾貝爾獎得主、一位菲爾茲獎得主、36 位奧運獎牌得主、13 位普立茲獎和奧斯卡獎得主、兩位羅德學者、七位馬歇爾學者、眾多美國參、眾議員和州長、美國第 46 任總統喬拜登，以及多名美國大學校長及副校長，擁美國政治家和大學校長之搖籃的美譽。 

雪城大學長年來被美國的流行媒體稱為全美最美的校園之一[7]，其校園擁有風格不拘一幟的建築組合，從古典的羅馬式和文藝復興式建築，到現代的前衛建築。雪城大學內有十三所學院，其中許多學門非常有名，例如公眾傳播、圖資科學、建築、經濟、運動科學、公共行政管理、財經、工程科學等。 

雪城大學運動隊被稱為橙軍隊，參加NCAA的20項校際運動，屬於大西洋沿岸聯盟的成員。