Secured Credit

Secured-credit terms that explain deposits, collateral support, and products designed to reduce lender risk in consumer borrowing.

Secured credit pages explain credit products backed by a deposit or other collateral support. This section matters because secured products often appear when a borrower is building credit, rebuilding it, or trying to qualify with weaker risk signals.

Use these pages to understand how security changes the lender’s risk without making the account cost-free or risk-free for the borrower.

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In this section

  • Secured Credit Card
    A secured credit card is a card account backed by a security deposit.
  • Collateral
    Collateral is property or value pledged to support a credit obligation and reduce lender risk.
  • Security Deposit
    A security deposit is money the borrower provides to support a secured credit product.
  • Secured Loan
    A secured loan is a loan backed by collateral that gives the lender a stronger claim if the borrower does not repay.
  • Credit-Builder Loan
    A credit-builder loan is a small loan designed mainly to help a borrower build payment history and credit file depth.