Overdue Loan Collections Have Grown to About $2.5 Billion in Ecuador

More Ecuadorians are showing up in the portfolios handled by collection companies.

Primicias reports that overindebtedness, labor instability and prioritizing other expenses are among the main reasons households say they fall behind on debt payments, according to Carlos Solano de la Sala, president of the Asociacion de Empresas de Cobranza del Ecuador (Asocob).

The Scale Of The Portfolio

According to Primicias, collection companies specialize in recovering overdue loans and credits from banks, cooperatives, mutualist institutions and other financial entities.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the overdue financial-system portfolio was around $1.6 billion. Primicias reports that it is now around $2.5 billion.

In the second half of 2025, Asocob member companies managed an average of $5.825 billion per month and more than 2.7 million clients each month.

Why Collection Is Harder

Primicias reports that collection work has become more difficult because of insecurity. The article says clients often do not respond to contacts they do not have registered.

Solano said household payment problems are tied to overindebtedness, labor instability and spending priorities. Primicias also reports that post-pandemic payment deferrals and financial relief measures left some households unable to recover payment capacity once grace periods ended.

What This Means for Expats

For expats using Ecuadorian credit products, renting to local households, employing staff or running small businesses, this is a cost-of-living and payment-risk signal.

The numbers do not mean every borrower is in trouble. They do show that overdue accounts and collection activity are now a larger part of Ecuador's financial landscape than before the pandemic.

Source: Primicias