On the surface, a 10% credit card interest rate cap sounds like a win for everyday consumers. But here's where it gets tricky—when you artificially restrict lending rates, lenders don't just accept lower profits. They typically tighten credit standards, reduce lending volume, or shift the burden onto other fee structures. What sounds like consumer-friendly policy could end up squeezing access to credit exactly when people need it most. The real question isn't whether lower rates feel good, but whether consumers actually end up better off when the unintended consequences ripple through the system. Financial markets have a way of finding equilibrium, and not always in the way policymakers expect.