Credit scoring models are shifting toward trended data in 2026, fundamentally changing how lenders evaluate borrowers while adding buy-now-pay-later transactions to the credit assessment mix. The new models mark a significant modernization of credit evaluation after decades of relying on static snapshots of borrower behavior.
More lenders are adopting newer scoring models like FICO 10T and VantageScore 4.0, which use trended data to review up to 24 months of payment and balance history instead of looking at a single moment in time, according to Create Credit Union. This approach allows lenders to see how borrowers manage credit over time, rewarding consistent balance management rather than one-time good behavior.
The shift accelerated when government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac published historical credit score data for both FICO 10T and VantageScore 4.0 on July 1, 2026, covering loans acquired between April 2013 and September 2025. This data release enabled lenders to test and validate the new models against years of mortgage performance data.
Some models also include rent, utility, and telecom payments in their calculations. For borrowers with thin credit files, this expansion creates new opportunities to build credit without relying solely on credit cards or loans. However, missed or late utility payments now appear in reports in ways they may not have before, requiring careful monitoring.
BNPL Enters Credit Scoring
Buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) transactions are now factored into newer FICO scoring models. FICO launched two updated scores in fall 2025 that include BNPL payment history, marking the first time these fast-growing loans appear in mainstream credit assessments, according to MoneyLion.
The impact on individual scores is modest for most borrowers. According to FICO, 85% of BNPL customers experienced score changes of fewer than 10 points when BNPL data was added to their profiles. However, the tracking of BNPL payments reflects a broader reality: consumers are increasingly reliant on these loans. More than half of BNPL users say they wouldn’t be able to make ends meet without them, per LendingTree’s 2026 Buy Now, Pay Later Report.
The same report found that 47% of BNPL users say they’ve paid late on one of these loans in the past year, up from 41% in 2025 and 34% in 2024. This rising delinquency rate comes even as BNPL lenders shift toward interest-bearing loans; over 37% of annual BNPL loan issuance now carries interest, nearly double the share in 2021, according to CNBC reporting on Federal Reserve data.
BNPL plans starting to appear on credit reports can help borrowers build credit if they pay on time. Missed payments, however, now carry real consequences for credit scores in ways they didn’t before the inclusion of BNPL data. Consumers using BNPL should monitor their payment schedules carefully, as these loans typically draw from checking accounts on a biweekly basis.
The changes reflect a broader push to modernize credit assessment beyond traditional credit cards and installment loans. Lenders now have the option to use newer credit scoring models that look at a fuller picture of someone’s financial life, according to BankFirst Mortgage. As adoption accelerates, credit scores may fluctuate depending on which model a lender uses—one lender may rely on FICO 10T for an auto loan while another uses an older model for credit cards. Checking credit reports regularly and disputing errors early remains essential as these transitions unfold.
Sources
- Create Credit Union — Detailed explanation of trended data in 2026 credit scoring models and how new models evaluate borrowers
- Freddie Mac Single-Family — Announcement of July 1, 2026 release of historical FICO 10T and VantageScore 4.0 data
- MoneyLion — Confirmation that FICO launched updated scores in fall 2025 including BNPL payment history
- FICO — Data showing 85% of BNPL customers experienced score changes of fewer than 10 points
- LendingTree — 2026 Buy Now, Pay Later Report findings on late payments and consumer reliance on BNPL loans
- CNBC — Reporting on Federal Reserve data showing 37% of BNPL loan issuance now carries interest
- BankFirst Mortgage — Information on lenders’ option to use newer credit scoring models
