The U.S. student loan crisis has evolved from a simmering economic concern into a full-blown structural challenge, reshaping the financial lives of millions and recalibrating the risks and opportunities for investors. Over the past two years, the end of pandemic-era repayment pauses, the expiration of delinquency reporting moratoriums, and the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) in 2025 have created a volatile landscape. For young borrowers, the stakes are particularly high: 31% of those with payments due in early 2025 were 90+ days delinquent, with 1.8 million projected to default by July 2025 alone. For investors, the question is no longer whether student debt will impact markets, but how to navigate the turbulence…

