NEW YORK—FICO and Plaid have introduced a new credit score powered by real-time cash-flow data, PYMNTS reported.
The model—an enhanced version of FICO’s UltraFICO Score—combines traditional FICO data with cash-flow insights aggregated through Plaid.
According to the report, the score draws on Plaid’s ability to securely connect consumer-permissioned financial data across banks, fintech apps, and brokerage accounts, layering that information onto FICO’s long-established credit-scoring framework.
“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,” said Julie May, vice president and general manager of B2B scores at FICO.
The rollout follows Plaid’s recent debut of LendScore, designed to help lenders evaluate factors like variable income, fluctuating expenses, and activity spread across multiple platforms.
“High-quality cash flow data is becoming essential for lenders who want a more comprehensive view of a consumer’s financial picture,” Adam Yoxtheimer, Plaid’s head of partnerships, told PYMNTS.
The updated UltraFICO Score will rely on both historical and current account-level data—such as inflows and outflows in checking, savings, and money market accounts—accessed through Plaid’s open-finance, consumer-permissioned network.