What is the meaning or definition of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA)?

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) is a federal regulation that requires lenders to promote the availability of credit to all creditworthy applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, or age (provided the applicant has the capacity to contract); to whether all or part of the applicant’s income derives from a public assistance program; or to whether the applicant has in good faith exercised any right under the Consumer Credit Protection Act. The regulation prohibits creditor practices that discriminate on the basis of any of these factors.