Lenders Get More Clarity on VantageScore 4.0 Rollout

Published: July 15, 2025
Source: HousingWire article by James Kleimann

Summary:
The FHFA cleared up key questions about how lenders can adopt VantageScore 4.0. FHFA Director Bill Pulte confirmed that lenders will be able to choose between using FICO Classic or VantageScore 4.0 for each loan they deliver to the GSEs. This flexibility is intended to support competition and minimize complexity for lenders during the transition.

Key points:

• Lenders can choose either scoring model loan by loan

• Tri-merge credit reports are still required

• No immediate changes to credit reporting rules

• Updates to Selling Guides will come next

• FICO 10T is still on the radar for future adoption

Our Take:
This update makes things a bit clearer for lenders. But there are still MANY questions that need to be answered.  Having the choice between FICO Classic and VantageScore 4.0 at the loan level puts control in lenders’ hands. It’s a big moment that opens the door to real score model competition.  

Points to consider:

• Lenders will be able to choose the credit score model on a loan-by-loan basis. That means you will be able to deliver one loan using FICO Classic and another using VantageScore 4.0 - whichever fits best.  It's a new level of flexibility that will introduce real choice into the process. 
• Tri-Merge credit reports remain the standard - no change to the number of bureaus required.
• These changes aren't live yet - GSEs are finalizing the implementation steps and will update their Selling Guides soon.
• No Immediate changes to credit reporting policies or delivery infrastructure - FHFA is trying to minimize disruption.

While there are still details to work through, like pricing grids, MI alignment, and tech readiness, it's helpful to see some structure start to emerge.

At Informative Research, we're continuing to work closely with our bureau, GSE and technology partners ensure our clients can take advantage of VantageScore 4.0 when the time is right. 

If you'd like to talk through what this might mean for your workflows down the road, we are always happy to connect.