Consumers

• Consumers may see changes in their credit card rules. Many credit card lenders reserve the right to change the terms of the loan at will. Some consumers will see their interest rates rise and their credit limits shrink---even if they've made on-time payments and managed their credit responsibly. Consumers may also see their ability to obtain credit decrease---as rates increase, lenders squeeze their restrictions on credit extension.
  
  

Banks

• Not only does it become more expensive for credit card companies to borrow money as rates increase, but the lending banks will also give more scrutiny to the industry itself. Instead of blindly offering sums of money to the credit card industry, banks will carefully review the risk pool of the consumer base before lending.
  
  

Congress

• The rising rates may spur Congress to take a new look at credit card regulations with respect to consumer protection. While credit card agencies may begin raising rates on "A" borrowers, some consumer lobby groups may begin to pressure policy makers to hold the credit card industry to a higher standard. In 2009, President Obama and Congress enacted stricter regulations for credit card companies that impose arbitrary fees on consumers.
  
  

Compensation

• The employees at credit card companies may see their compensation remain the same or even decrease. As profits fall for large banks, these employees may see bonuses for good performance vanish. Similarly, higher-paid executives may begin running rounds of layoffs to prevent serious revenue runoff.
  
  

Consumer Spending

• As in becomes more and more expensive to borrow money, a drop in consumer spending (possibly triggering an economic downturn) may occur. The economy runs on consumer borrowing and spending, and a decrease in this process may affect the U.S. economy.