At the end of 2018, U.S. consumer debt reached record highs. Difficulty accessing real-time, consumer consented financial data related to debt has blocked the progress that’s taken place in other sectors of financial services. Thus, Plaid announced a new product to provide access to this data, making it easier for users to deliver new services. "We’re launching with student loan data given the crisis levels it has reached in the U.S., where it is the second largest debt category behind mortgage. Today, over 44 million people, hold $1.6 trillion in outstanding loans. This burden, averaging nearly $30k per borrower, has long-term implications for consumers who often put off saving for emergencies or retirement, getting married, buying a home, or starting a family. As an industry, we can help," said the company in its blog.

https://blog.plaid.com/liabilities/