Mastercard today unveiled Mastercard Credit Intelligence, a suite of solutions designed to empower lenders with faster, smarter and more inclusive insights that help them better serve consumers and small businesses.

Harnessing Mastercard’s trusted network and proprietary insights, Mastercard Credit Intelligence delivers advanced analytics to inform expanded and more transparent decision-making for lenders – opening doors to broader financing opportunities. The solution is currently available in select markets.*  

Access to credit is a catalyst for growth – helping individuals get a mortgage and buy a home or fueling a small business. With Mastercard Credit Intelligence, Mastercard is creating more of these opportunities by helping lenders reduce the time analyzing and customizing underwriting decisions. When a lender pairs this information with other resources like credit bureau history and telco data, they can capture a more holistic picture of the borrower.  

“A healthy digital economy is an inclusive one – and with the right insights, our trusted network and deep expertise, we can create new opportunities for consumers and small businesses who may have traditionally been overlooked,” said Kaushik Gopal, executive vice president, Business & Market Insights, Mastercard. “Together with our partners, we’re making lending smarter, more personalized and more secure – and in the process, helping to drive more entrants into the digital economy.”

This means, for example, that a bank reviewing a loan from a 25-year-old with a thin credit file can, with the applicant’s permission, access Mastercard network insights – such as transaction types, categories and identity signals. This helps the lender broaden their view of that applicant’s financial picture, potentially uncovering unforeseen opportunities. Similarly, a lender evaluating a small business looking to open a new location can secure an assessment from Mastercard that includes historical transaction insights not typically found in traditional assessments.

Mastercard Credit Intelligence is fueling global momentum – with partnerships across the U.S., Philippines, UAE, Australia and Brazil that unlock smarter, faster lending opportunities. 

Brazilian acquirer Stone is now leveraging the suite to strengthen the solutions they offer their merchant customer base, supporting sustainable growth for local small and medium-sized businesses. 

“Smarter and more efficient credit solutions are essential to driving value for our small and medium-sized business customers, who rely on sustainable, consistent credit,” said a spokesperson for Stone. “Our work with Mastercard helps us expand and curate our offerings – supporting greater financial inclusion across the market.”

In the U.S., Mastercard’s open finance program further enhances small business underwriting opportunities by seamlessly integrating permissioned financial information including cash flow analytics and payment risk insights. With the additional view, lenders can gain a comprehensive view of a small business’s financial picture.

“Securely permissioned data is the cornerstone of open finance – fueling not only new financial experiences, but strengthening traditional ones like small business lending,” said Jess Turner, executive vice president, global head of Open Finance and Developer Experience, Mastercard. “Working with our partners to intelligently put alternative data to work, we can empower small businesses to start, grow and thrive.”

Mastercard invites financial institutions, fintechs, credit bureaus and technology partners to join the effort to shape the future of inclusive lending. Mastercard Credit Intelligence solutions for consumers and small businesses in available markets are available now on Mastercard Developers. There, developers and partners can access full documentation and agentic-powered tools to support simplified, seamless API integration.