Emmaline Aliff of Equifax sits down with Matt Orlando, Chief Experience Officer at Informative Research, to unpack one of the most talked-about developments in mortgage lending: FICO’s new Mortgage Direct Licensing program and what it could mean for lenders, credit providers, and borrowers.

In this episode:

What is FICO’s Mortgage Direct Licensing program?

FICO’s Mortgage Direct Licensing program allows lenders and technology providers to license FICO scores directly, rather than receiving them solely through traditional credit reporting agencies. The program is still new, and its full impact on the mortgage ecosystem has yet to be determined.

How could FICO Direct Licensing impact mortgage lenders?

Lenders are still evaluating how the program will affect their overall cost of credit each month and whether it will increase expenses across the loan lifecycle.

What risks does Direct Licensing introduce into the mortgage market?

The program introduces risk across multiple layers of the ecosystem. Credit reporting agencies may now be asked to generate scores—something they have not historically done. Lenders must assess the reliability of these scores, while the broader mortgage market and borrowers face uncertainty as scoring responsibility shifts to a more fragmented landscape.

How might borrowers be affected by these changes?

Borrowers could ultimately bear higher costs if credit expenses rise for lenders. There is also risk tied to accuracy and consistency as new parties begin generating credit scores. The long-term borrower impact remains unclear.