US official directs Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac to approve VantageScore for all lenders

On September 3, U.S. Director of Federal Housing Bill Pulte instructed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to permit all lenders to utilize the VantageScore credit scoring system. The initial rollout of VantageScore by Fannie and Freddie has been highly successful, with 50 lenders delivering loans. Pulte emphasized that the FICO credit scoring system has held a monopoly, but that will no longer be the case.

He further criticized the three credit reporting agencies that own VantageScore - Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion - for overcharging Americans for far too long. Pulte hinted at a potential 'bi-merge' and stronger solutions, indicating his determination to put an end to such practices. VantageScore, a joint venture owned by Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, was founded in 2006.

The Trump administration aims to reduce costs for American homebuyers and promote competition in the mortgage credit scoring market, which has traditionally been dominated by FICO. In 2018, President Donald Trump signed the Credit Score Competition Act, enabling Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to approve advanced credit score models for mortgage underwriting.