Mortgage lenders could benefit from news announced by Fair Isaac today. Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images Close Shares of Fair Isaac remain in negative territory in 2025. They fell earlier this year after the FHFA said mortgage companies could use a credit scoring system created by its competitors. Top Stories S&P 500 Hits New High as Stocks Rise for 4th Straight Day Will the Momentum in AI Stocks Be Sustained? What a Government Shutdown Could Mean For You Government Shutdown Leaves Fed Without Data ...

Fair Isaac is unveiling a major shift in how FICO scores are delivered to the mortgage industry, giving lenders the option to calculate and distribute FICO scores directly to customers. Shares of credit-reporting firms in the US fell on the news. Nathan Dean of Bloomberg Intelligence has more. ...

Core Viewpoint - The introduction of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) loans into credit scoring by FICO will begin impacting consumer credit scores starting in fall 2025, marking a significant change in how these loans are perceived in the credit landscape [2][3][7]. Group 1: Overview of BNPL Loans - BNPL loans allow consumers to make purchases in installments, typically with little to no interest and without hard credit checks [4]. - Major BNPL providers include Affirm, Klarna, Afterpay, and PayPal Pay Later, which offer flexible payment options at checkout [5][10]. Group 2: Impact on Credit Scores - Previously, BNPL loans did not affect credit scores as they were not reported to credit agencies, allowing consumers to use them without impacting their credit history [6][11]. - FICO's new scoring models, FICO Score 10 BNPL and FICO Score 10 T BNPL, will incorporate BNPL data, but lenders will need sufficient data from BNPL providers before these scores can be utilized [8][9]. Group 3: Expected Changes and Consumer Behavior - The impact of BNPL loans on credit scores is expected to be similar to opening a new account, with scores potentially improving or decreasing by about 10 points for most consumers [12]. - The effect on individual credit scores will vary based on the consumer's overall credit profile and the specifics of their BNPL loans [13]. Group 4: Consumer Usage Trends - A significant portion of BNPL users are utilizing these loans for essential expenses, with 47% using them for groceries and 35% for medical bills, raising concerns about the financial health of these consumers [14][15]. - Nearly half of BNPL users have missed at least one payment, indicating potential risks associated with increased reliance on these financial products [15].