The VantageScore mortgage expansion will allow all mortgage originators delivering loans to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to use VantageScore 4.0 effective immediately.
Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte directed the government-sponsored enterprises to broaden access beyond the limited group of previously approved lenders. Fannie Mae’s official credit-score initiative page explains how the model is incorporated into the mortgage delivery process.
Fannie Mae (OTCQB: FNMA) and Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC) began implementing the scoring model earlier in 2026. The latest action extends its availability across the lender base rather than limiting use to a controlled rollout.
VantageScore Mortgage Expansion Increases Credit-Model Competition
The model uses trended credit information and additional data intended to provide a broader view of borrower creditworthiness. The agency said VantageScore 4.0 had been used as the sole score for more than 9% of mortgages securitized by the two enterprises since May 1.
The change increases competition with Fair Isaac (NYSE: FICO), whose traditional scoring model has long been central to mortgage underwriting. It may also affect demand for data and services from Equifax (NYSE: EFX) and TransUnion (NYSE: TRU), although the operational and financial consequences will depend on lender adoption.
Approval of another model does not guarantee a mortgage or replace lenders’ broader underwriting standards. Borrower eligibility, loan pricing and risk controls will continue to depend on multiple factors beyond a single credit score.
