Non-performing loans (cartera vencida) are one of the most critical indicators for any financial institution or company that grants credit. Understanding what they are, how they're measured, and how to prevent them is fundamental to maintaining an organization's financial health.
What is cartera vencida?
Cartera vencida refers to the set of credits or loans whose payments have not been made within established deadlines. In other words, it's the total amount of granted credits that have fallen into payment default.
In Mexico, the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV) establishes that a credit is considered non-performing when:
Why is monitoring non-performing loans important?
The level of non-performing loans has direct impacts on multiple business aspects:
Delinquency Rate (IMOR)
The Delinquency Rate is the standard metric for measuring non-performing loans:
IMOR = (Non-Performing Loans / Total Portfolio) × 100
A low IMOR indicates a healthy portfolio with good payment performance. In Mexico, the banking system average ranges between 2% and 4%, though it varies significantly by credit type and market segment.
Main causes of non-performing loans
1. Deficient credit evaluation
Granting credits without rigorous risk profile analysis is the main cause. Relying solely on self-reported financial statements or partial information leads to inadequate credit decisions. A solid evaluation must consider the fundamental criteria for credit granting.
2. Lack of continuous monitoring
Many institutions evaluate clients only at the time of granting and don't follow up on changes in their financial situation.
3. Macroeconomic conditions
Recessions, high inflation, devaluations, and sectoral crises can significantly increase default levels.
4. Borrower over-indebtedness
When a client acquires more debt than they can manage, default risk increases exponentially.
5. Portfolio concentration
Excessive dependence on one sector, region, or client group amplifies systemic risk.
Prevention strategies
Improved credit evaluation
Using real SAT fiscal data — such as CFDI — instead of self-reported financial statements allows for more accurate and reliable payment capacity assessment. Learn how the full credit granting process works.
Continuous monitoring
Implementing early warning systems that detect changes in payment behavior, fiscal activity, or borrowers' financial situation before they fall into default.
Portfolio diversification
Distributing risk among different sectors, regions, and company sizes reduces exposure to concentrated adverse events.
Proactive collection policies
Establishing follow-up processes before credits mature and offering restructuring alternatives when early signs of financial stress are detected.
Technology use
Credit intelligence platforms like CRiskCo enable automating evaluation, monitoring, and risk detection, significantly reducing the probability of non-performing loans.
CRiskCo's approach
At CRiskCo, we address the non-performing loan problem from two fronts:
Before granting: Our FinScore analyzes real SAT fiscal data to evaluate payment capacity and detect risk signals before they materialize.
After granting: Our continuous monitoring system observes changes in fiscal activity, invoicing patterns, and other indicators to generate early warnings when a borrower shows signs of deterioration. See also the key credit metrics we monitor.
Non-performing loans are not inevitable. With the right tools and processes, financial institutions can significantly reduce their delinquency levels and protect portfolio health.
Want to reduce your non-performing loans? [Learn how CRiskCo can help](/solutions/credit-risk).