This is a momentum funding round because ClearScore is stacking distribution and product rails, not just adding runway.
UK fintech ClearScore has raised an undisclosed amount of new funding, according to a recent profile of the company and its CEO Justin Basini. The investor was not disclosed. The funding comes as ClearScore continues to broaden its model from consumer credit intelligence into a multi-product financial marketplace with open banking and embedded finance capabilities.
What’s driving the raise
ClearScore has been building a more infrastructure-like position inside lending journeys, and recent moves point to a clear strategy: own more of the data, decisioning and distribution that sit between consumers, retailers and lenders.
Two acquisitions anchor that shift:
- Money Dashboard (acquired 2022) brought open banking expertise that underpins D•One, an open banking service for lenders. ClearScore says D•One now drives 23% of marketplace lending, signalling it is becoming material to origination rather than a bolt-on feature.
- Aro Finance (acquired January 2025) expanded ClearScore into embedded finance via B2B2C channels, working through retailers including Argos, Very.co.uk and Asda. ClearScore launched ClearScore Everywhere in July 2025 to commercialise that distribution.
Those moves sit alongside a broader product mix that includes proprietary credit intelligence, a credit marketplace spanning credit cards, loans and car finance, and alternative data use that includes telematics. The company reports 24 million global users, giving it scale to test conversion and credit performance across products.
Context: funding layered on top of bank backing
The new funding also follows a clear financing milestone: in February 2025, ClearScore secured GBP 30 million of financing from HSBC Innovation Banking UK, explicitly to support global expansion and product innovation. Basini said at the time that the HSBC support strengthened the company’s momentum as it aimed to build a global financial marketplace, building on international foundations laid in 2024.
In that context, the latest disclosed funding reads less like a rescue round and more like additional capital to accelerate execution: expanding distribution partnerships, scaling lender connectivity, and investing in product capabilities that can lift conversion and underwriting outcomes.
Why this fits the current fintech playbook
ClearScore’s trajectory mirrors a broader with-trend pattern in European fintech: consumer-facing brands are pushing deeper into the lending stack by combining three elements.
- First-party distribution (large user bases or embedded partners)
- Data and connectivity (open banking and alternative data)
- Origination economics (marketplace revenue tied to funded loans)
ClearScore’s D•One and ClearScore Everywhere initiatives are effectively two routes to the same goal: becoming harder to displace in the path to credit, whether the customer starts in an app or at the checkout of a retail partner.
Execution risks to watch
The strategy is coherent, but the execution is not trivial.
- Integration and focus risk: absorbing Money Dashboard and Aro Finance while launching new commercial propositions can stretch product and go-to-market teams.
- Partner concentration and churn: embedded finance depends on retailer relationships and lender appetite, both of which can shift quickly if economics deteriorate.
- Credit cycle sensitivity: marketplace performance is ultimately tied to lender risk tolerance. If underwriting tightens, conversion and revenue can fall even with strong traffic.
- Regulatory and data governance: open banking and alternative data require robust consent, security and compliance practices, especially when scaling internationally.
What to expect next
With acquisitions already in place and bank financing secured last year, the key question is how quickly ClearScore can translate its expanded rails into sustained marketplace growth. If D•One continues to increase its share of funded lending and embedded channels scale beyond early retail partners, the company strengthens its position as a multi-rail origination platform rather than a single-product credit app.
For mid-market deal watchers, the signal is straightforward: capital is still flowing to fintechs that can prove they are embedded in distribution and underwriting workflows, not just competing for consumer attention.