FHFA-Led Credit Score Shift Triggers 99-Cent Price War Among Major Bureaus

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is overseeing a multi-year transition for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to adopt FICO 10T and VantageScore 4.0. This shift replaces the classic FICO score and stems from the 2018 Credit Score Competition Act. The initiative aims to modernize underwriting standards and increase competition across the U.S. mortgage market.

This transition sparked an immediate price war among the credit bureaus that own VantageScore. In March 2026, TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian announced they would slash VantageScore 4.0 mortgage score prices to as low as 99 cents. This aggressive pricing directly challenges FICO’s long-standing market dominance. The FHFA expects this increased competition to lower overall mortgage costs for consumers.