Who are the primary credit bureaus in the United States?

The primary credit bureaus in the United States are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. These companies play a crucial role in the credit reporting system, providing credit histories and scores that help lenders assess the creditworthiness of individuals. They collect information from various financial institutions regarding an individual's borrowing and repayment patterns, which is used to create credit reports.

Consumers can access their credit reports from these bureaus, and they are entitled to one free report annually from each bureau. The information compiled by these bureaus influences loan approvals, interest rates, and other financial decisions.

In contrast, the other options provided focus on financial institutions and payment platforms rather than credit reporting entities. Bank of America, Chase, and Citibank are indeed prominent financial institutions but do not operate as credit bureaus. PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle are payment services used for peer-to-peer transactions, not related to credit reporting. Lastly, Discover, American Express, and Mastercard are major credit card issuers, yet they do not function as credit bureaus. This distinction is essential for understanding the roles of entities in the financial services ecosystem.