Closing the Gender Wealth Gap, One Credit Score at a Time
Money talks. Unfortunately, for women, it has been whispering for far too long.
This International Women’s Day, we are all about accelerating action because when it comes to financial empowerment, women have waited long enough. The gender wealth gap is still a thing. Unequal access to credit is a quiet roadblock that has held women back for decades. But here is the good news: change is happening, and we are here to speed it up.
Money Moves: A Look Back at Women and Credit
Let’s set the record straight. It was not that long ago that women in the U.S. needed a male co-signer to apply for credit. That was legal until 1974. Before that, banks were turning women away left and right, assuming they were “risky” borrowers even though we now know women are statistically more reliable at repaying debt.
Fast forward to today, and while the co-signer rule is gone, bias in lending still exists. Women tend to have lower credit scores than men, not because they are financially irresponsible, but because of systemic barriers like lower wages, gaps in employment due to caregiving, and limited access to wealth-building opportunities.
The Cost of Credit Inequality
A lower credit score does not just mean a higher interest rate. It can mean:
- Higher costs of borrowing on everything from mortgages to auto loans
- Less access to capital for women entrepreneurs trying to launch businesses
- More financial stress that impacts overall well-being and economic mobility
In recent history, women made up 40% of breadwinners in U.S. households and controlled $10 trillion in assets, and that number is only growing. Imagine what could happen if the financial system worked with, rather than against, them.
How to Accelerate Action in 2025
Change does not happen overnight, but there are tangible ways to push things forward:
- Normalize talking about money. Financial literacy is power, and discussing credit, saving, and investing should not be taboo.
- Push for pay transparency and equity. If women are earning less, they are saving and investing less. That cycle needs to break. So let’s pull the curtain back.
- Advocate for rent reporting. Rent is the biggest monthly expense for many, yet it does not always count toward credit. Esusu is changing that by helping renters build credit with on-time rent payments.
- Support women-owned businesses. Access to funding is one of the biggest challenges for female entrepreneurs, and every dollar spent helps close that gap.
The Future is Credit Inclusive
Women are already making bold money moves, but it is time to remove the hurdles in their way. Credit should be a tool for building wealth, not another barrier to it.
At Esusu, we are committed to accelerating financial equity by making credit building more accessible, rent reporting the norm, and financial empowerment the standard.
So this International Women’s Day, let’s make a commitment. Not just to celebrate women but to take real action in closing the gender wealth gap. The road to financial equity has been slow-moving for too long. Let’s hit the gas.