How Stilt provides millions with access to credit products using Plaid

Because traditional lenders in the United States rely on credit scores to determine loan eligibility and interest rates, immigrants and other underserved populations often find themselves in a catch-22. No one will give them a loan because they have no U.S. credit score, and they have no U.S. credit score because no one will give them a loan.

Stilt, a Plaid-supported digital lending company, disrupts that cycle by making loan offers to immigrants based on many indicators of financial responsibility. Factors like current employment or employability, education and GPA, financial behavior, defaults, collections, and bankruptcies are weighed and put through statistical models to assess risk.

It’s a nuanced evaluation that makes more individuals eligible for credit, setting them up for long-term success in the United States. It’s also one that hinges on access to applicants’ day-to-day financial data, and for that Stilt turned to Plaid.

Learn more about how Plaid is helping Stilt improve the financial security of international students, visa holders, and other non-U.S. citizen populations.