[Mybest | Card Loan Survey] 90% of Inexperienced Users Feel 'Anxiety Towards Card Loans,' While 30% of Experienced Users See 'Image Change Positively After Use.' An Image Gap Exists Between Inexperienced and Experienced Users.

Mybest Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Toru Yoshikawa; hereinafter, Mybest), which operates the product comparison service "Mybest," conducted a survey targeting 300 card loan inexperienced individuals and 298 experienced individuals (men and women in their 20s to 60s) regarding their image, anxiety, and understanding of card loans. Card loans are one of the familiar financial services that can cope with sudden expenses, but it was revealed that about 90% of inexperienced users feel anxiety and resistance, and do not even know the upper interest rate. On the other hand, about 30% of experienced users who actually used the service responded that their "image changed positively after use," indicating a gap in perception.

• Survey Overview

Target: 300 men and women in their 20s to 60s who are inexperienced with card loans / 298 men and women in their 20s to 60s who are experienced with card loans

Method: Internet questionnaire survey (conducted by Mybest Co., Ltd.)

Period: March 17 (Tuesday) to March 24 (Tuesday), 2026

*Numerical values in the survey results are rounded appropriately, so there may be discrepancies when calculating cumulative totals.

*When introducing the survey results, please include the annotation "Survey by Mybest Co., Ltd."

*This press release is for the purpose of reporting survey results and does not recommend the use of specific financial products or services.

• 87.3% of inexperienced users "feel anxiety/resistance towards card loans."

87.3% of inexperienced users responded that they feel anxiety/resistance towards card loans. The top reason for not using card loans was "resistance to debt (61.7%)," followed by "interest rates seem high (45.7%)," and "no need (42.3%)." This suggests that vague negative images and anxiety about interest rates may be psychological hurdles to use.

• 87.0% of inexperienced users do not know the upper interest rate. Anxiety may be due to lack of information and negative image.

87.0% of inexperienced users responded that they "do not know the general upper interest rate of card loans." Also, 67.3% felt they did not understand card loans. While basic information such as interest rates and mechanisms is lacking, 45.7% of people responded that "interest rates seem high," suggesting that anxiety is formed from both a lack of information and psychological barriers.

• 59.7% of inexperienced users imagine "card loan users = people in financial trouble." On the other hand, experienced users have a strong image of practical aspects in addition to negative ones, indicating a gap in how card loans are perceived depending on usage experience.

Regarding the image of people who use card loans, 59.7% of inexperienced users responded "people in financial trouble." On the other hand, while "people in financial trouble (62.1%)" was also the most common response among experienced users, practical responses such as "people preparing for sudden expenses (31.9%)" significantly exceeded those of inexperienced users (17.3%). This shows that while inexperienced users tend to have a fixed image of "something used by people in financial trouble," experienced users tend to view it realistically as "a means of emergency funding," indicating a gap in how card loans are perceived depending on usage experience.

• 83.2% of experienced users responded that they "had anxiety/resistance before use." On the other hand, about 27.2% saw their image improve after use.

83.2% of experienced users responded that they felt anxiety/resistance before using card loans. However, when asked about subsequent changes, 27.2% responded that their "image became more positive after use." Comments included "it's actually convenient and not scary if you repay properly" and "it's a familiar thing and not bad if you have a solid repayment plan." Also, 58.7% felt that they "were glad to have used card loans." This shows that a certain number of people resolve their anxieties by actually using the service.

• Top reason for using card loans is "sudden expenses." Focus on short-term funding needs.

The most common reason for experienced users to use card loans was "sudden expenses (51.0%)," followed by "shortage of living expenses (43.0%)" and "travel/leisure (17.1%)." This indicates that it is often used as a means to cope with sudden daily funding needs, revealing a practical usage situation different from the image of "something used by people in financial trouble" held by inexperienced users.

• Reliable information sources: Half of inexperienced users responded "none apply."

The top reliable information source for inexperienced users regarding card loans was "official websites of financial institutions (29.0%)," followed by "information from public institutions such as the Financial Services Agency (26.0%)," and "service comparison sites (10.0%)." However, the most common response was "none apply (50.3%)," revealing that more than half of inexperienced users cannot find reliable information sources about card loans. On the other hand, for experienced users, "service comparison sites (29.5%)" was second only to "official websites of financial institutions (53.0%)." This suggests that experienced users may have a higher need for comparing multiple services.

• 60.8% of experienced users responded that "anxiety would be alleviated if there was accurate information," while 64.0% of inexperienced users responded that "anxiety would not be alleviated even with accurate information."

  60.8% of experienced users responded that they "would have felt less anxious if accurate information about card loans was clearly organized," while 64.0% of inexperienced users responded that "anxiety would not be alleviated even with accurate information." Experienced users, looking back from their post-use perspective, felt that "information would have alleviated anxiety," whereas inexperienced users, from their pre-use perspective, felt that "anxiety would not disappear even with information." This shows a significant disparity in perception between the two groups depending on their experience. It also suggests that a negative image of debt and interest rates may precede and act as a psychological barrier, which cannot be reached by simply providing accurate information.

• Former Banker / Mybest Credit Card, Loan, Securities, Insurance Manager Kaito Oshima

＜Comment＞

The results of this survey highlight the strong psychological resistance felt by inexperienced users and the reality that anxiety cannot be dispelled by information alone. It is noteworthy that over 60% of inexperienced users responded that "anxiety will not be resolved even with accurate information." This suggests that understanding borrowing conditions such as interest rates and limits alone does not resolve the real anxieties of consumers, such as "can I repay with my salary?" or "how much interest will I pay?" On the other hand, the fact that about 30% of experienced users utilize it as a "preparation" indicates the possibility that appropriate information and actual experience can transform anxiety into "practical understanding." Mybest believes that what is required is not merely comparing borrowing conditions, but creating an environment where users can make choices with conviction, by concretizing the burden and sharing users' actual usage situations.

＜Available for Interview＞

・Comparison of card loan products

・Reasons why anxiety about card loans cannot be resolved by information provision alone

・Correct usage and selection of card loans

・Background of the image gap between inexperienced and experienced users, etc.

＜Profile＞