Equifax (NYSE: EFX) reported that nearly 2,000 mortgage lenders and resellers adopted VantageScore 4.0 between April 2026 and September 2026, following Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) approval of the scoring model for use in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages.

The company recorded a 230% increase in VantageScore 4.0 credit scores pulled for mortgages between April 2026 and August 2026. More than 165 lenders are exclusively using VantageScore 4.0 at the $1 price point for certain loan types.

Equifax said it will maintain $1 VantageScore 4.0 mortgage credit score pricing through the end of 2028, citing potential industry cost savings of $1 billion from the price difference among score providers.

VantageScore 4.0 incorporates up to 24 months of trended data and includes alternative data such as rental, utility, and telco payment histories. Equifax claims the model can deliver a 20% lift in originations and generate credit scores for consumers with thin credit files.

"The strong industry adoption has been driven by years of preparation by our teams to ensure that VantageScore 4.0 could be accessible to all lenders," said Joel Rickman, General Manager and SVP of U.S. Mortgage and Verification Services at Equifax.

Equifax also said it provides alternative data insights, including payment histories for telco, pay TV, and utilities, alongside tri-merge consumer credit reports at no additional cost to lenders. The company also offers The Work Number Report Indicator at no additional cost, which provides an indicator of whether employment data is available on a mortgage applicant.

AmeriSave Mortgage Corporation Chief Operating Officer Magesh Sarma said the company added VantageScore 4.0 as one of its scoring models following the FHFA's decision to allow lenders to choose their credit score model.