Which company created the original FICO credit-scoring system?

Fair Isaac Corporation created the original FICO credit-scoring system.

FICO takes its name from Fair, Isaac and Company, founded by engineer Bill Fair and mathematician Earl Isaac in 1956. The company developed statistical methods intended to help businesses make more consistent credit decisions.

The first widely used FICO credit score was introduced in 1989 through a partnership with Equifax. Later, FICO scores became available through the other major U.S. credit bureaus, including Experian and TransUnion. A consumer does not have one universal score: scores can differ because bureaus hold different data and lenders use different versions.

FICO is a scoring brand, not a credit bureau. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion collect and report credit information, while FICO creates scoring models that analyze information in credit reports. VantageScore is a separate scoring system created by the three major bureaus.