Marcus by Goldman Sachs Personal Loans: Exited the Market in January 2023 — Best Alternatives for 2026
Updated April 26, 2026· Reflects Goldman Sachs' January 2023 wind-down of Marcus personal loans, the Rithm Capital / Varde Partners portfolio sale, and current alternatives
Quick answer
Goldman Sachs stopped originating new Marcus personal loans in January 2023. Approximately half of the existing portfolio was sold to investment funds managed by Rithm Capital and Varde Partners; existing borrowers continue making payments to whichever servicer is handling their loan today. There is no path to apply for a new Marcus personal loan.
If you were planning to apply:our top alternatives are SoFi (no fees, $5K–$100K), LightStream (very competitive rates for excellent credit), and Discover Personal Loans (still active despite Discover's exit from student and home loans). If you have an existing Marcus loan: keep paying whoever currently services it — your original terms (rate, schedule, no prepayment penalty) did not change. Note: Marcus savings accounts and CDs are still active at marcus.com.
What happened to Marcus personal loans
Marcus by Goldman Sachs launched in 2016 as Goldman's push into consumer lending. By 2022 it had become clear the bet wasn't paying off — Goldman's consumer-banking division had lost more than $3 billion since late 2020, including a $778 million operating loss in Q4 2022 alone. On the January 2023 earnings call, CEO David Solomon publicly acknowledged the firm had "tried to do too much too quickly." Goldman announced it would scale back Marcus's consumer ambitions and exit unsecured personal lending.
The wind-down unfolded in three stages:
- January 2023 — New applications stopped. Marcus stopped accepting new personal-loan applications. The personal-loans pages on marcus.com transitioned to informational status for existing borrowers.
- 2023 — Portfolio partially sold. Goldman Sachs sold approximately half of the outstanding Marcus personal-loan portfolio to investment funds managed by Rithm Capital and Varde Partners. The remaining portion stayed with Goldman to wind down naturally as borrowers paid off their loans.
- 2023–2025 — Servicing transitions. Borrowers whose loans were sold received written notice from both Goldman and the new servicer at least 15 days before the transfer, per federal RESPA rules. Original loan terms — interest rate, monthly payment, no prepayment penalty — did not change as a result of the sale or servicing transition.
Marcus today operates only its high-yield savings and CD products under the Goldman Sachs Bank USA brand. Goldman has refocused its consumer strategy on its credit-card partnerships — though even that has shifted: Apple announced in January 2026 that JPMorgan Chase will replace Goldman as the Apple Card issuer over a roughly 24-month transition, leaving Marcus savings/CDs and the General Motors card as Goldman's remaining direct-to-consumer products.
If you have an existing Marcus personal loan
Your loan may be in one of two places today: (a) still serviced by Goldman Sachs Bank USA if it was part of the half of the portfolio that wasn't sold, or (b) serviced by a new servicer working on behalf of Rithm Capital or Varde Partners if your loan was sold. In either case, your original loan terms did not change. Continue making payments to whoever your most recent statement directs you to pay.
What to verify:
- Confirm where your loan is currently serviced. If you received a transfer notice, the new servicer's contact information is on the notice and on your most recent statement. If you're unsure, sign in to the original Marcus account portal at marcus.com — if your loan was transferred, the portal will direct you to the current servicer.
- Verify autopay is set up correctly with the current servicer. If you had autopay configured with Marcus and your loan was transferred, the autopay setup should have migrated automatically — but it's worth confirming in the new servicer's portal.
- Save documentation. Keep copies of your original Marcus loan agreement, any servicing-transfer notices, and recent statements. If a future servicing transfer occurs, this paper trail makes it easier to dispute any errors.
You can prepay your loan in full at any time without penalty — Marcus's no-prepayment- penalty policy carries forward to the new servicer. If your credit and income have improved since you took out the Marcus loan, refinancing with a current lender may lower your interest rate.
The best Marcus alternatives for 2026
The closest substitutes for what Marcus offered (no fees, fixed rates, prime-credit borrowers, $3,500–$40,000 range) are below. Each is currently originating personal loans and accepting new applications.
SoFi
Closest direct replacement — no fees, larger loan range
No origination, late, or prepayment fees. Personal loans from $5,000 to $100,000. Same prime-credit-borrower focus as Marcus, with a wider loan range and additional member benefits (career coaching, financial planning). Funding as fast as the same business day in many cases.
Read our full reviewLightStream
Best APRs for excellent credit
A division of Truist Bank. No fees, very competitive APRs for excellent-credit borrowers, $5,000–$100,000 loan range. Offers a Rate Beat Program: if you get a lower APR from a competitor, LightStream will beat it by 0.10 percentage points. Same-day funding available.
Read our full reviewDiscover Personal Loans
Still active despite Discover's other exits
Discover personal loans are still being originated even though Discover exited student loans (January 2024) and home loans (July 2025). No origination fees or prepayment penalties. $2,500–$40,000 loan range, very similar to what Marcus offered. Returns of unused funds within 30 days are penalty-free.
Read our full reviewBest Egg
Good option if your credit is fair-to-good
More flexible credit requirements than SoFi or LightStream. Loans from $2,000 to $50,000. Origination fee 0.99%–8.99% (deducted from loan proceeds), no prepayment penalty. Funding as fast as next business day.
Read our full reviewAchieve (formerly FreedomPlus)
Strong for debt consolidation with co-borrower option
Co-borrower applications can boost approval odds and lower rates. Direct-to-creditor payment available for debt consolidation. Loans from $5,000 to $50,000. Origination fee applies.
Read our full reviewFrequently asked questions
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