Credit score maker Fico eyes bigger share in India's consumption story (2024)

Mumbai: US-based analytics company FICO, the maker of FICO credit score used by lenders to assess credit worthiness of borrowers, sees business opportunities in the upbeat consumption potential of the Indian economy, chief executive officer Will Lansing said in an interview

Founded in 1956, the company uses predictive analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and data science to improve operational decisions of businesses, primarily in the financial services space. On Tuesday, FICO launched its cloud-based platform in India with lenders like HDFC Bank, Axis Bank and AU Small Finance Bank, being the early users.

“We are in a moment in time when the Indian economy is poised to spring with consumer consumption and credit, unsecured lending, all of which are to happen in a significant way." Lansing said the platform was built over a decade ago and has been sold to 100 of the top 300 global financial institutions. He said the data used by the platform will reside in India.

While the FICO score is also available in India apart from other markets, it is not big here since it is built on credit card payment data and India does not have significant credit card penetration. India had 95 million credit cards at the end of October, as per data from the Reserve Bank of India. “India has very low credit card penetration, sub-100 million cards, and so we do not have the credit card payment data like most other countries and that is what we build our score on," he said.

However, the software platform takes into account all kinds of data that’s predictive of good behaviour, he said. These include rental payment data, utility payment data, income coming into bank accounts, besides others, and Lansing said all of that can predict whether an individual is a good credit or bad. “India is uniquely positioned because everyone has a bank account and that is a big opportunity," said Lansing.

Lansing said FICO has been in India for 20 years and has employees in Bengaluru who do research and development (R&D) work. In fact, the FICO Platform was largely built in India. The company has about 1,300 employees in India and a majority of them are in the R&D division in Bengaluru.

“I was with a CEO yesterday who said in order to grow the Indian economy at 7%, we need consumer credit to grow at over 20% and the only way you can really do that is with some technology around lending. We are here because the market is big and excellent and we know how to help," he said.

Asked about concerns surrounding a section of retail borrowers getting overleveraged, Lansing said it is an issue not just in India but in the US too. “The government is very focused there as it is here on not getting consumers overextended and not having them borrowing money that they cannot afford to repay," he said.

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Credit score maker Fico eyes bigger share in India's consumption story (1)

Shayan Ghosh

Shayan Ghosh is a national editor at Mint reporting on traditional banks and shadow banks. He has over 12 years of experience in financial journalism. Based in Mint’s Mumbai bureau since 2018, he tracks interest rate movements and its impact on companies and the broader economy. His interests also include the distressed debt market, especially as India’s bankruptcy law attempts recoveries of billions worth of toxic assets.

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Published: 05 Dec 2023, 05:02 PM IST

Credit score maker Fico eyes bigger share in India's consumption story (2024)

FAQs

What are the biggest contributors to credit score? ›

Factors That Determine Credit Scores
  1. Payment History: 35% Making debt payments on time every month benefits your credit scores more than any other single factor—and just one payment made 30 days late can do significant harm to your scores. ...
  2. Amounts Owed: 30% ...
  3. Length of Credit History: 15% ...
  4. Credit Mix: 10% ...
  5. New Credit: 10%
Jul 29, 2023

Is FICO score used in India? ›

While the FICO score is also available in India apart from other markets, it is not big here since it is built on credit card payment data and India does not have significant credit card penetration. India had 95 million credit cards at the end of October, as per data from the Reserve Bank of India.

Which of the following is the largest contributor to your FICO score? ›

Payment history (35%)

This is the most important factor in a FICO Score.

What is the FICO platform in India? ›

FICO Platform stands as a pragmatic solution, offering real-time authorization capabilities that ensure seamless transactions and provide valuable insights for informed decision-making.

Which FICO Score is most accurate? ›

The primary credit scoring models are FICO® and VantageScore®, and both are equally accurate. Although both are accurate, most lenders are looking at your FICO score when you apply for a loan.

Has anyone gotten an 850 credit score? ›

Although a lot of people might like the idea of a perfect credit score, they'd likely have a hard time actually achieving it. In the U.S., only about 1.7 percent of the scorable population had a perfect 850 FICO credit score in April 2023, according to FICO data.

Who calculates credit score in India? ›

CIBIL score is calculated and generated by the Credit Information Companies (CICs) or credit bureaus, based on the consumer credit information provided by the member lending institutions on a monthly basis.

Which credit score is most used in India? ›

TransUnion CIBIL

It is the oldest and most popular in India today. Also, it offers market insights and portfolio reviews for businesses apart from CIBIL scores and reports for individuals.

Can Indian credit score be used in USA? ›

For better or for worse, your home country's credit score won't follow you to the US. Until you start building credit, you're classified as "credit invisible." However, you may be able to use your credit history abroad to apply for credit cards and get your foot in the door in building your American score.

Is a 900 credit score possible? ›

Highlights: While older models of credit scores used to go as high as 900, you can no longer achieve a 900 credit score. The highest score you can receive today is 850. Anything above 800 is considered an excellent credit score.

What are the 5 Cs of credit? ›

Each lender has its own method for analyzing a borrower's creditworthiness. Most lenders use the five Cs—character, capacity, capital, collateral, and conditions—when analyzing individual or business credit applications.

What drives a FICO Score the most? ›

The most important factor of your FICO® Score , used by 90% of top lenders, is your payment history, or how you've managed your credit accounts. Close behind is the amounts owed—and more specifically how much of your available credit you're using—on your credit accounts. The three other factors carry less weight.

Does India have a credit score system? ›

CIBIL India is part of TransUnion, an American multinational group. Hence credit scores are known in India as the CIBIL Transunion score. CIBIL Score is a 3-digit numeric summary of your credit history, rating and report, and ranges from 300 to 900. The closer your score is to 900, the better your credit rating is.

Who generates FICO? ›

Only FICO Scores are created by the Fair Isaac Corporation and are used by 90% of top lenders. Why? Because FICO Scores are the industry standard for making accurate and fair decisions about creditworthiness. They help millions of people get the credit they need for a home, a new car, or a special purchase.

Is FICO only in the US? ›

You might wonder, “Do other countries have credit scores?” The short answer is yes. But if you're planning an international move, you might be surprised to learn that you can't take your credit score with you. Some countries—like Canada and the U.K.—have credit scoring systems that are similar to the U.S. model.

What contributes most to your credit score? ›

Payment History: 35%

Your payment history carries the most weight in factors that affect your credit score, because it reveals whether you have a history of repaying funds that are loaned to you.

What makes up the largest portion of your credit score? ›

Payment history is the most important factor of your credit score, making up 35% of FICO® Scores.

What are the top three things that impact your credit score? ›

5 Factors That Affect Your Credit Score
  • Payment history. Do you pay your bills on time? ...
  • Amount owed. This includes totals you owe to all creditors, how much you owe on particular types of accounts, and how much available credit you have used.
  • Types of credit. ...
  • New loans. ...
  • Length of credit history.

What factor had the biggest impact on a credit score? ›

Payment history: The biggest factor in determining your credit score is payment history. Every time you pay a credit card bill, car payment, house payment, student loan payment, etc., it gets added to your history. It's important that all of your payments are paid before the due date listed on your statement.

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