07:08 AM EDT, 06/23/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Fair Isaac ( FICO ) will introduce a new scoring model that includes "buy now, pay later" loans, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing Ethan Dornhelm, vice president of scores and predictive analytics at the company.

The report said the new credit scoring model, developed using data from over 500,000 buy now, pay later users in partnership with Affirm, is set to roll out this fall alongside Fair Isaac's ( FICO ) existing score.

While lenders will be able to access the new scores, it's up to credit bureaus, such as Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, to determine when to make them available to consumers and lenders, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Early testing showed that consumers with five or more Affirm loans generally saw their scores remain stable or even improve, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing the company.

It added, however, that the model will penalize missed BNPL payments, highlighting the risks tied to more open lines of credit.

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