Mastercard is launching a new suite called Mastercard Credit Intelligence, aimed at improving lending decisions for banks and FinTechs. This initiative leverages transaction-level insights from Mastercard's network to assist lenders in reaching borrowers who don’t fit traditional credit scoring models. Initially, the focus will be on small business solutions in the U.S., where lenders can access permissioned open finance data alongside Mastercard's insights to speed up the application process. One of the key advantages of this suite is its ability to expedite the analysis of loan applications. By integrating various data sources, including credit bureau history and telecom information, lenders can make more informed decisions in less time. For instance, a bank could evaluate a young applicant with limited credit history by examining their transaction types and spending habits. This approach aims to create opportunities for consumers and small businesses that have historically been underserved. Mastercard is also actively forming partnerships in regions like the U.S., Brazil, and the Philippines to enhance its credit offerings. These collaborations include working with the Brazilian acquirer Stone to strengthen support for merchants. The suite is currently available through Mastercard Developers, complete with tools to aid partners in API integration. This move is part of Mastercard's broader strategy to utilize network data and software to improve various aspects of the payments ecosystem, including merchant approval rates and open banking initiatives.