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Piercing through Opacity: Relationships and Credit Card Lending to Consumers and Small Businesses during Normal Times and the COVID-19 Crisis

Author

Listed:
  • Allen N. Berger
  • Christa H. S. Bouwman
  • Lars Norden
  • Raluca A. Roman
  • Gregory F. Udell
  • Teng Wang

Abstract

We build a bridge between relationship lending and transactions lending—investigating relationship effects on contract terms for credit cards, a relatively pure transactions-lending technology. Using more than 1 million accounts, we find that during normal times, consumers with relationships obtain better terms but small businesses with relationships do not. Both groups obtain improved terms during COVID-19, consistent with intertemporal smoothing—relationship borrowers obtain more favorable terms during crises, paid for by worse terms in normal times. Among other findings, CARES Act impediments to reporting consumer delinquencies to credit bureaus, designed to protect customers, reduced informational value of credit scores, penalizing safer consumers.

Suggested Citation

  • Allen N. Berger & Christa H. S. Bouwman & Lars Norden & Raluca A. Roman & Gregory F. Udell & Teng Wang, 2024. "Piercing through Opacity: Relationships and Credit Card Lending to Consumers and Small Businesses during Normal Times and the COVID-19 Crisis," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 132(2), pages 484-551.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jpolec:doi:10.1086/726236
    DOI: 10.1086/726236
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    Cited by:

    1. Berger, Allen N. & Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli, 2021. "Banking research in the time of COVID-19," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    2. Rodrigo de Oliveira Leite & Matheus Moura & Layla Mendes & Leonardo Henrique Lima de Pilla, 2024. "Bank Accessibility and Entrepreneurial Activity: Evidence from Brazil," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-11, May.
    3. Brandon Goldstein & Julapa Jagtiani & Catharine Lemieux, 2025. "Fintech Innovations in Banking: Fintech Partnership and Default Rate on Bank Loans," Working Papers 25-21, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
    4. Berger, Allen N. & Bouwman, Christa H.S. & Norden, Lars & Roman, Raluca A. & Udell, Gregory F. & Wang, Teng, 2025. "Is a friend in need a friend indeed? How relationship borrowers fare during the COVID-19 crisis," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    5. Sapriza, Horacio & Temesvary, Judit, 2024. "Economic activity and the bank credit channel," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    6. Berger, Allen N. & Boot, Arnoud W.A., 2024. "Financial intermediation services and competition analyses: Review and paths forward for improvement," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    7. Norden, Lars & Ribeiro, Thiago, 2025. "Local credit in Brazil: The role of digital connectivity and education," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    8. Allen N. Berger & Onesime Epouhe & Raluca Roman, 2021. "A Tale of Two Bailouts: Effects of TARP and PPP on Subprime Consumer Debt," Working Papers 21-32, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
    9. Tsuruta, Daisuke, 2024. "Bank credit to SMEs in Japan: Evidence from normal times, the global financial crisis, and the COVID-19 crisis," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    10. Joseph P. Hughes & Julapa Jagtiani & Choon-Geol Moon, 2022. "Consumer lending efficiency: commercial banks versus a fintech lender," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 8(1), pages 1-39, December.
    11. Li, Xiang, 2022. "The role of state-owned banks in crises: Evidence from German banks during COVID-19," IWH Discussion Papers 6/2022, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH), revised 2022.
    12. Basten, Christoph & Juelsrud, Ragnar, 2025. "Monetary policy transmission through cross-selling banks," Research Bulletin, European Central Bank, vol. 136.
    13. Temesvary, Judit & Wei, Andrew, 2024. "Domestic lending and the pandemic: How does banks’ exposure to COVID-19 abroad affect their lending in the United States?," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    14. Kung, Ming-Hsin & Chang, Chuang-Chang & Hsiao, Yu-Jen & Lo, Wen-Chi & Chang, Bi-Juan, 2024. "Banks can help? Evidence in the speed of lending for COVID-19 personal relief loans and financial inclusion," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    15. Barthman, Gabriel & Moura, Matheus & Norden, Lars, 2024. "Lending technologies and consumer defaults in times of crisis: Evidence from Brazil," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PB).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • G01 - Financial Economics - - General - - - Financial Crises
    • G20 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - General
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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