Credit Term
AAoA
Average Age of Accounts
The average length of time you have held your credit accounts. A longer history generally helps your score because it gives lenders more evidence that you manage credit responsibly over time.
To work out the average age, add up how long each of your accounts has been open and divide by the number of accounts. Your oldest account and a steady, unbroken history both pull this figure up. This is why closing your longest-held card can actually work against you — it can shorten your average history and remove a long, positive track record.
Opening several new accounts at once has the opposite effect: it lowers your average age and can make your profile look less settled for a while. The sensible habit is to keep older, no-fee accounts open and active with occasional use, and to add new credit slowly and only when you need it. Time is the main ingredient here, so patience genuinely pays.
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This definition is drafted against primary sources (Bank Negara Malaysia, AKPK and the relevant Acts) and is pending editorial fact-check. If you find an error, tell us and we will correct it with a dated note.