FICO, a global analytics software leader, has announced a strategic partnership with Plaid, a financial data network, to introduce the next generation of the cash flow UltraFICO® Score. This collaboration aims to merge the FICO Score’s established reliability with Plaid’s real-time cash-flow data, offering lenders a single, enhanced credit score designed for superior consumer risk assessment without increasing operational complexity.
This initiative builds on FICO’s prior work in cash flow scoring with the initial UltraFICO® Score. The partnership with Plaid, which facilitates consumer-permissioned data from over 12,000 financial institutions, seeks to provide lenders with a more streamlined integration, thereby converting banking insights into scalable credit decisions. The updated solution will be distributed through Plaid’s Consumer Reporting Agency, Plaid Check.
Julie May, vice president and general manager of B2B Scores at FICO, stated, “This partnership represents nearly a year of strategic work to address what the market has been demanding—a broader perspective on consumer credit readiness. By bringing together FICO’s trusted credit score intelligence with Plaid’s cash flow data, we’re creating the foundation for more comprehensive lending decisions. This is the beginning of a new chapter in responsible and inclusive lending.”
The enhanced UltraFICO® Score solution will utilize cash flow data, encompassing historical and current information on money movement within a consumer’s transaction accounts, such as checking, savings, and money market accounts. This data is accessed via Plaid’s open finance network, which supports nearly 1 million secure financial connections daily and has enabled over half of Americans with bank accounts to manage their financial lives online securely.
The new score offers lenders three key advantages beyond improved credit risk performance. These include alignment with the flagship FICO® Score for confident cash flow adoption without extensive testing or added risk, streamlined implementation to minimize operational complexity and accelerate onboarding, and universal compatibility, allowing lenders to use a cash flow model with the traditional FICO Score regardless of the channel.
Adam Yoxtheimer, head of partnerships at Plaid, commented, “High-quality cash flow data is becoming essential for lenders who want a more comprehensive view of a consumer’s financial picture. By combining Plaid’s real-time connectivity and intelligence with FICO in this next generation credit score, we are helping lenders make more confident, inclusive credit decisions through a simple and scalable solution.”
