Consumer credit is a central feature of modern economies, yet its relationships can be extractive, leading to over-indebtedness and, collectively, constraining growth. This book interrogates these dynamics, arguing that modern credit systems are defined by a structural asymmetry of trust and power: borrowers must extend high trust, but lenders fail to reciprocate, instead exercising their power to impose data-driven surveillance. This introductory chapter sets this context, establishing trust as the book’s analytical lens and outlining the rationale for a new framework. It introduces what I term ‘trust intelligence’ as a counter-model—a participatory framework designed to shift the system from profit optimisation and unilateral control towards mutual accountability and shared governance. The introduction also signposts the book’s structure, which moves from a theoretical and historical analysis of creditworthiness to an examination of modern challenges and opportunities and the detailed policy reforms required to implement this new framework.