U.S. households are drowning deeper in debt. The latest numbers? A staggering $18.59 trillion in total household debt by Q3 2025. That's a jump of $197 billion from just last quarter.

This kind of leverage doesn't exist in a vacuum. When consumer debt climbs this fast, it squeezes spending power and shifts risk appetite across all asset classes—including crypto. Worth watching how this plays into the Fed's next moves and whether alternative assets start looking more attractive as traditional finance tightens.