Payment defaults in Finland have risen to more than 385,000, bringing the country close to its highest recorded level, according to new data for the first quarter of 2026.
Credit data firm Asiakastieto reports that this figure represents an increase of roughly 12,000 people compared with the same period last year. At the end of March 2026, the total number of individuals with a registered payment default stood just above 385,000, up from about 373,000 in March 2025. The number has also climbed since the end of 2025, when 382,000 people were listed. This means roughly 3,000 new cases appeared in the first three months of 2026.
Pekka Liukkunen, head of data analytics at Asiakastieto, emphasized the gravity of the trend. “We are currently very close to the darkest figures in our history,” he said. “The all-time record comes from 2021, when around 392,000 people had a payment default.”
The data also shows significant regional differences. In Päijät-Häme, nearly 9 percent of residents have at least one payment default, the highest proportion in the country.
In areas with growing populations, such as Uusimaa and Pirkanmaa, the share of residents with payment defaults has fallen, even though the total number of affected individuals has increased. Conversely, in regions with shrinking populations, the proportion of people with payment defaults rises even when the absolute number remains stable. For example, in Kainuu, the total number of defaults has stayed level, but the percentage of residents affected has grown due to population decline.
While the number of new payment default entries has fallen in recent years, the overall total continues to increase. In the first quarter of 2026, fewer than 382,500 new cases were recorded, compared with nearly 460,000 in the same period three years ago. More people are entering the register than leaving it.
Liukkunen explained that payment defaults are rarely sudden. “A payment default is often the end point of a long process,” he said. “It usually follows months of difficulty with bills and debt collection.” He noted that the data responds slowly to broader economic changes, meaning current figures reflect long-term financial strain rather than a sudden crisis.
At the current pace, Finland could surpass the 2021 record within the year. The current gap is roughly 7,000 individuals. Over the past 12 months alone, the total number of people with payment defaults has grown by 12,000.
Payment defaults affect more than personal finances. Individuals with defaults may face restrictions in housing, loans, and essential services such as mobile phone contracts. Liukkunen stressed the societal impact: “Each number in the statistics represents a person. For society, this means a significant share of the population faces limits in economic activity, which shows in consumption and growth.”
The rising total signals persistent financial pressure across Finnish households, highlighting structural challenges in credit management, cost of living, and economic stability.
