Credit data provider of the year: Credit Benchmark

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Credit Benchmark distinguished itself for its innovative, consensus-based approach to credit risk assessment and broad coverage of private and unrated entities. Credit Benchmark has been awarded Credit data provider of the year at the Risk Technology Awards 2025, highlighting its role in enhancing credit data services for the financial industry. The company has successfully carved a niche for itself, particularly in the realm of credit risk assessment. At a time when traditional credit rating agencies can fall short, Credit Benchmark is delivering comprehensive insights and extensive coverage that enable financial institutions to make informed decisions.

Judges said:

• “Excellent coverage and widely used. Difficult to beat and a leader in this field.”
• “A unique business offering.”
• “The regulatory shift away from capital modelling has introduced challenges; however, Credit Benchmark is positioned to benefit from the growth of private markets.”
• “I didn’t know they were working in significant risk transfer transactions and with central counterparties – that’s impressive.”
• “The IRB validation product is a smart addition.”
• “IRB Nexus is a valuable innovation.”
• “A wide range of users, proven capabilities. Can benchmark against peers.”
• “The Nexus report offers powerful insights.”

Credit Benchmark’s success lies in its innovative approach to credit data. The company has developed a robust methodology that aggregates internal credit risk assessments from leading global banks, creating a consensus‑based view that is both objective and credible. This crowdsourced methodology stands out from the traditional issuer-paid model of credit rating agencies, which can introduce biases into the ratings process. Credit Benchmark’s data reflects the expertise of risk professionals who actively manage credit exposures and offers a more accurate understanding of credit risk.

Credit Benchmark’s coverage further sets it apart from conventional credit rating agencies, with insights on more than 115,000 entities, including private and unrated companies that are often overlooked. This is crucial in today’s financial landscape, where most counterparties for leading global banks are private or unrated. By filling this gap, Credit Benchmark enables risk managers to assess credit exposures comprehensively, especially in underrepresented geographies and sectors.

The company has also been enhancing the timeliness of its data in response to the growing demand for real-time credit insights. A weekly update cycle for consensus credit data gives clients the ability to react quickly to changes in their credit portfolios and make impactful decisions. This is increasingly important in the current high-volatility environment.

Credit Benchmark’s analytics services are distinguished by their consensus-based approach. By offering direct comparisons of a bank’s internal credit risk views against the consensus of peers, the company provides a critical benchmarking capability that is vital for regulatory compliance and internal model validation.

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The company has introduced a benchmarking analytics solution in partnership with Oliver Wyman – IRB Nexus – which aggregates millions of risk estimates annually from top banks. This helps banks to effectively validate their internal ratings-based (IRB) models, particularly for low- and no-default portfolios, thereby improving regulatory compliance.

Credit Benchmark has also launched the Default Risk Outlook, providing predictive insights into default risks across various industries. The company uses its extensive dataset to provide sector-specific projections that help drive better decision-making in potential economic downturns. This report has been replicated across major economies.

Credit Benchmark’s responsiveness to the evolving challenges faced by the financial industry makes it a reliable credit data provider. This award recognises its impact on how risk managers and financial institutions assess and manage credit risk.

Michael Crumpler, chief executive officer at Credit Benchmark, says:

“We’re proud to be named Credit data provider of the year. Our consensus‑based credit data delivers a uniquely objective view – especially in private and unrated markets – empowering institutions to make more confident decisions, to better size risk appetite and grow their businesses. By filling critical data gaps, we help clients gain broader risk insight, improve efficiency and scale credit operations with confidence. This recognition reflects our commitment to enabling better‑informed decisions and supporting a more transparent, resilient and opportunity-rich financial system.”

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