How Curve optimised their affordability strategy to scale comparison-led acquisitions

Curve transformed their credit decisioning from 46% of applications going to manual review to 100% automation for acquisitions and initial limit setting, using Infact's Affordability Engine. The result: complete elimination of manual underwriting and over £250m in additional credit limits issued to date.

Challenge

46% of applications were being referred to manual underwriting

Curve is the ultimate digital wallet that connects all cards into one smart solution. The Curve Flex product is an instalment-based revolving credit line that offers customers flexible spending.

The challenge was that their decisioning in acquisitions was creating significant referrals. 46% of applications were being referred to manual underwriting, creating operational bottlenecks that prevented scaling.

Their goals were to:

Implement a solution that enabled 100% automated decisions for acquisitions and initial limit setting
Use better affordability data to build a competitive proposition that would allow Flex to achieve a top-ranking position on leading consumer marketplaces
Win more initial customer interest and convert more applications to actual credit lines by delivering on those initial competitive offers
Move away from over-reliance on open banking as it increased friction during expenditure verification and backup income checks, adding complexity at the start of the user journey

The company needed a solution that could provide more accurate affordability assessments while maintaining the frictionless customer experience their users expected, ultimately making it quicker and fairer for more people to access credit they otherwise might not have received.

Infact's Affordability API eliminated the manual underwriting bottleneck that was consuming so much of our time. Going from reviewing 46% of applications manually to 100% automation has completely changed how we operate. It's exactly the kind of solution you need when you're focused on sustainable growth - and our customers are seeing the benefits too, with faster, fairer access to credit through a more effective application process.

Jahanvi Bava

Credit Portfolio Manager

Solution

Personalised assessments for each applicant, combining application data with proprietary modelled data

Infact's Affordability Engine was integrated into Curve's existing decisioning process to address these challenges. The solution creates personalised assessments for each applicant by combining marketplace application form information with proprietary modelled data, ensuring each assessment reflects their individual financial situation. The solution was used to:

Replace their ONS-based approach with Infact's nuanced expenditure component to receive personalised assessments and increase affordability confidence levels
When CATO returns red or missing data, Curve uses Infact's estimated income component to supplement gaps in income verification or assess uncertain declared amounts in line with CONC 5.2A guidelines

This approach maintains compliance while delivering the speed and accuracy needed for marketplace competition.

A response within 1 second on 100% of the UK adult population

The engine provides a response within 1 second on 100% of the UK adult population. It stays current through regular updates that account for changing economic conditions and regulatory requirements, keeping assessments accurate and relevant to today's market conditions without requiring system changes from Curve.

Results

Full automation across acquisitions and initial limit setting, up from 54% (with 46% of applications previously going to manual underwriting).

100%

automated decisioning

Average position Curve Flex holds across leading consumer comparison marketplaces, driven by more competitive offers on better affordability data.

1.4

average marketplace ranking

Extra credit limits Curve has been able to issue after adding Infact's Affordability Engine to their decisioning, with the figure continuing to grow.

£250m+

additional credit limits issued

Key Takeaways

Increased access to credit, more personalised assessments, and a better lending experience

Curve's customers are also experiencing a fundamentally better credit application process. The result is that customers who need access to flexible credit can get it quickly and fairly, without jumping through unnecessary hoops or facing unjust declines.

Individuals get immediate answers on credit applications instead of being stuck in manual review queues for days, and more people qualify for credit because assessments are based on individual circumstances rather than more generic demographic data. Users also have a more streamlined application process at the pre-approval stage of their acquisition journey.

How Curve optimised their affordability strategy to scale comparison-led acquisitions

Results at a glance

Challenge

46% of applications were being referred to manual underwriting

Solution

Personalised assessments for each applicant, combining application data with proprietary modelled data

A response within 1 second on 100% of the UK adult population

Results

Key Takeaways

Increased access to credit, more personalised assessments, and a better lending experience

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