How Economic Uncertainty Manifests in Payment Defaults Across the Baltics
In recent years, the economic environment in the Baltics has become faster-moving and less predictable. Previously, it took 12–18 months after an economic turning point for payment difficulties among companies and individuals to appear in the payment default register. Today, this happens much sooner — often within 6–9 months, and in some sectors even within a single quarter.
Payment Defaults as an Early Warning
Creditinfo manages the payment default register, which collects daily data from banks, leasing companies, utilities, telecoms, and other businesses. This provides a comprehensive overview of market payment behavior trends.
However, not all payment defaults become publicly visible, which makes the aggregated data in the register a valuable early indicator — showing shifts in the economy before they surface publicly or are reflected in official economic statistics.
Two Waves: Companies First, Individuals Later
Based on payment default data, economic difficulties typically unfold in two phases:
- First, companies. When costs rise or customers delay payments, businesses face liquidity challenges — sometimes visible within a single quarter.
- Then, households. Initially, savings and financial buffers help, but over time, pressure reaches individuals, leading to unpaid bills.
In other words, a rise in company payment defaults often serves as an early warning that the economy is entering a more difficult phase.
Three Countries, Three Speeds
While overall trends are similar across the Baltic countries, shaped by global economic developments, the pace and timing differ:
- Estonia tends to see payment defaults appear more quickly after economic challenges emerge, but both companies and individuals also recover and repay debts faster than elsewhere in the Baltics.
- Latvia shows greater seasonality in debt repayment and reporting across certain sectors compared to its neighbors.
- Lithuania tends to experience risks materializing into payment defaults later than the other Baltic states — reflecting higher resilience — but once defaults occur, they persist longer, meaning problems take more time to resolve.
Which Sectors Show Changes First?
The most sensitive sectors include:
- Construction, where rising costs and changes in financing conditions have an immediate impact.
- Transport, logistics, and wholesale, which quickly feel shifts in the rhythm of the economy.
- Retail and services, where payment difficulties emerge as consumer purchasing power declines.
What Does This Mean for Businesses?
As the economy changes faster than before, annual risk assessments are no longer enough. Companies that regularly use payment default data in evaluating partner and customer credit risk can respond more quickly — by adjusting credit limits, updating terms, or planning sales volumes more realistically.
The era when risks evolved over years is over — today, success belongs to those who spot changes first and adapt fastest.
In Summary
In the Baltics, economic and credit risks now shift quarter by quarter, not year by year. Companies that use payment default data as early warning signals can keep a close eye on their business environment — and stay one step ahead of the market.
Best Practices for How Companies Assess Credit Risk in Their Supply Chains
Effective credit risk assessment is a cornerstone of supply chain management for both global and local companies. With increasingly interconnected trade networks and growing reliance on cross-border suppliers, the financial stability of business partners can directly impact a company’s ability to deliver products and services. A single supplier’s default, bankruptcy, or liquidity crisis can trigger significant disruptions, resulting in delayed deliveries, reputational damage, and even financial loss.
For this reason, organizations across industries are adopting structured approaches to evaluate and monitor supplier credit risk. Below are some of the best practices that companies use to strengthen resilience across their supply chains.
Leveraging Credit Reports and Ratings
The most common practice is the use of credit reports and ratings from specialized agencies such as Dun & Bradstreet, Creditsafe, Creditinfo, Moody’s Analytics, or Experian. These reports consolidate a supplier’s financial history, payment behavior, outstanding obligations, and credit score into an accessible profile.
Such data-driven insights provide companies with an objective assessment of a supplier’s creditworthiness. For instance, Coca-Cola integrates credit data into its supplier evaluation process to ensure that new partnerships are built on reliable financial foundations. By doing so, the company reduces the likelihood of disruptions caused by financially unstable partners and maintains a consistent supply of raw materials.
Conducting Broader Due Diligence Assessments
Credit information alone does not always capture the full picture of a supplier’s risk profile. Many organizations enhance their analysis by conducting comprehensive due diligence assessments that combine financial data with operational, geopolitical, and reputational factors.
Siemens, for example, conducts detailed financial risk analyses as part of its supplier onboarding and monitoring process. The company examines suppliers’ balance sheets, liquidity ratios, and debt structures alongside qualitative factors such as compliance with regulations, corporate governance, and industry-specific risks. The banking sector follows a similar model — institutions such as APS Bank in Malta use financial and non-financial criteria to ensure they collaborate with counterparties that are not only solvent but also reputable and sustainable.
This holistic approach ensures that companies do not overlook hidden vulnerabilities that might undermine supply chain stability.
Continuous Monitoring and Real-Time Alerts
Risk assessment should not be viewed as a one-time exercise. Suppliers’ financial health can change rapidly due to market shocks, regulatory shifts, or internal mismanagement. To address this, companies increasingly adopt continuous monitoring systems that provide real-time tracking of critical credit-related events.
These systems may be embedded in credit rating agencies’ platforms, credit bureaus, or integrated directly into enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions such as SAP Ariba. They monitor indicators such as late payment patterns, bankruptcy filings, credit downgrades, or sudden declines in liquidity.
For example, Ford Motor Company uses real-time monitoring to detect early warning signs of supplier distress. By acting proactively — whether by diversifying sourcing or negotiating alternative arrangements — Ford minimizes disruptions and protects its production schedules.
Integrating Technology and Analytics
The growing adoption of digital tools has made credit risk assessment more sophisticated. Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and predictive analytics are increasingly used to forecast potential supplier distress before it becomes visible in traditional credit reports. These tools analyze not only financial statements but also alternative data sources such as trade flows, market sentiment, and macroeconomic indicators.
For multinational corporations, this level of insight enables more strategic risk management, while smaller businesses can use simplified versions of these tools to protect themselves against supplier failures. The democratization of credit risk technology is helping local and regional players build more resilient supply chains that were once only feasible for global giants.
Building Resilient Supply Chains Through Credit Risk Practices
By prioritizing structured credit risk evaluation, companies safeguard their operations and strengthen resilience against shocks. Organizations such as Coca-Cola, Siemens, and Ford demonstrate how integrating financial data, due diligence, and continuous monitoring can create supply chains that are both stable and adaptable.
Importantly, this approach is no longer limited to multinationals. Increasingly, smaller and local businesses are adopting similar practices, often supported by affordable credit bureau services, regional data providers, and ERP platforms tailored for SMEs. This shift is especially critical in regions where supply chain disruptions can have amplified effects due to concentrated supplier networks.
Conclusion
Credit risk assessment is more than a compliance exercise — it is a strategic enabler of operational continuity. By leveraging credit reports, conducting broader due diligence, adopting real-time monitoring systems, and embracing new technologies, companies can reduce vulnerabilities and build stronger supplier relationships.
In a global economy marked by volatility and uncertainty, businesses that make credit risk evaluation a core component of supply chain management position themselves to navigate challenges more effectively. Whether multinational or local, organizations that invest in these practices foster resilience, trust, and long-term stability across their supply chains.
Authored by:
Martin Coufal,
Partnership Director, Creditinfo Group.
LLMs Have Transformative Potential in Financial Services and Rely on Teams That Shape Them
Large language models (LLMs) are disrupting established industries and creating new business opportunities. They can also bring significant value to financial institutions.
While most early implementations have focused on client-facing applications like onboarding, call-center automation and digital assistants, much of LLMs’ potential lies in operational functions. For example, they can:
- Enhance model management by creating model documentation, explaining complex models in plain language and assisting in model validation workflows.
- Boost anomaly detection enabling faster escalation and resolution by human teams.
- Support audit and compliance activities by summarizing model behavior, identifying compliance gaps and documenting evidence for regulators.
- Enhance internal knowledge management by helping staff quickly retrieve information from documents.
These behind-the-scenes applications drive efficiency and free up human teams to focus on strategic decision-making and higher-value tasks. Successful adopters are able to unlock such synergies.
Human-LLM Collaboration
More broadly, human-AI collaboration in finance is evolving. It has become clear that human strengths, such as empathy, judgment and contextual understanding, are critical for high-stakes interactions and that fully autonomous systems still face limitations in certain client-facing roles.
Therefore, financial institutions should focus on building systems allowing AI to enhance, rather than replace human work and allow staff to remain at the center of complex decisions and client relationships. For example:
- Analysts can use LLMs to draft credit assessments, which experts then finalize.
- Compliance officers can use AI to flag suspicious transactions, which are then reviewed by humans applying their expertise and contextual knowledge before escalation.
- Advisors can leverage AI to brainstorm investment strategies, but then deliver advice with empathy and consideration of their clients’ circumstances.
Responsible Rollout
To stay ahead and fully leverage the potential of LLMs while balancing innovation with regulatory requirements, financial institutions should adopt a phased, risk-based approach starting with low-risk, high-value use cases in controlled environments.
As part of this, regular testing in sandbox environments is essential to refine models before wider deployment. Benchmarking LLM outputs against traditional, well-understood models adds another layer of interpretability and reliability. Equally important is continuous human oversight, particularly for impactful decisions where trust, accountability and transparency are necessary.
Looking ahead, institutions must invest in both infrastructure and talent to leverage LLMs responsibly. Scalable computation environments are needed to support LLM training and secure data pipelines are vital for compliant and well-governed data processing. But infrastructure alone is not enough. Success with LLMs will depend on the people behind them. The right mix of machine learning engineers, risk and domain experts, and legal professionals who specialize in AI regulation is needed.
LLMs in financial services are still at an early stage, but with the right mix of technology, processes and talent working toward a shared vision for AI, LLMs can deliver significant value both in and beyond client-facing roles without introducing unnecessary risk.
Creditinfo Launches ESG Hub to Fast-track Baltic Companies’ Access to Reliable Sustainability Data
New one-stop-shop solution aggregates information from more than 20 external sources, helping banks and businesses boost their ESG strategies, manage risk, and streamline their supply-chain transparency.
Creditinfo unveiled ESG Hub, the Baltic region’s first pan-regional platform that gives lenders and businesses instant, standardised access to the environmental, social and governance (ESG) data they need to comply with regulations, assess counterparties and execute sustainability strategies.
Building on Creditinfo’s long track-record of turning complex business information into accessible actionable insight, ESG Hub consolidates data from 20-plus public and proprietary data sources from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania into one standardised API feed and ready-to-use report. By merging country-specific registries into a single, harmonised view, the platform lets banks and businesses manage ESG data uniformly across all three markets. Users can pull company-level metrics—from carbon emissions and energy intensity to board diversity and community impact—within seconds, eliminating the need to piece together separate national datasets manually.
“We want to accelerate the sustainability journey for the Baltic economies, and it all starts with easy access to trusted information. Until now, assembling ESG data has been difficult and time-consuming; companies have spent substantial time on these tasks, and the process has been inefficient,” said Elari Tammenurm, Regional Director, Continental Europe at Creditinfo. “With ESG Hub, any financial institution or company can integrate harmonised data directly into their existing workflows, cutting cost and complexity while improving decision speed.”
Proven model, now scaled to the Baltics
Creditinfo first introduced an ESG data service in Iceland in 2023; rapid adoption by local banks and corporates highlighted the growing importance of reliable sustainability intelligence. “The strong uptake we saw in Iceland showed us how big the need is,” noted Reynir Smári Atlason, Managing Director of Sustainability at Creditinfo. “We’re now bringing those learnings, and a richer dataset, to the Baltic markets.”
The company will continue to expand ESG Hub’s data source coverage and analytical modules over the coming months. Future roll-outs in additional Creditinfo markets are also planned.
For more information visit ESG Hub
Creditinfo & Little App Partner To Enhance financial Inclusion In Kenya
Little App’s new feature gives individuals and businesses instant, on-the-go access to their credit information
Nairobi, 18th June 2025 – Creditinfo, a global service provider for credit information and risk management solutions, has partnered with Little App, one of Africa’s most forward-thinking super apps, to enable Little App users to access their credit reports and monitor their credit scores instantly and securely within the app’s Financial Services section.
With the integration of Creditinfo’s credit bureau data into the app, individuals and businesses can conveniently view their credit information through their mobile devices. Whether applying for a loan, improving creditworthiness, or monitoring one’s financial health, this new feature makes it simple, fast, and user-friendly. Having this information available in one place will help people in Kenya to take control of their finances, make more informed decisions, and access credit with confidence.
“Our partnership with Little reflects more than just a shared goal; it’s a concrete step toward increasing financial inclusion and transparency across Kenya and the African region in the foreseeable future. Data is key to unlocking financial opportunity for people, and our priority is to make access to real-time, reliable credit information simpler and more intuitive. We’re immensely proud to deliver a solution that brings tangible benefits to people’s financial journeys,” said Kamau Kunyiha, Regional CEO East and Southern Africa at Creditinfo.
Kamal Budhabhatti, CEO at Little said: “Africa is undergoing a remarkable digital evolution, with mobile technology transforming how people live and engage with services. Through our collaboration with Creditinfo, we’ve built a solution that meets people where they are – on their phones – and fits seamlessly into their daily lives. We want to demystify complex financial data for everyone, empowering users to make informed decisions while driving lasting social and economic impact.”
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About Creditinfo
Established in 1997 and headquartered in London, UK, Creditinfo is a provider of credit information and risk management solutions worldwide. As one of the fastest-growing companies in its field, Creditinfo facilitates access to finance, through intelligent information, software and decision analytics solutions.
With more than 30 credit bureaus running today, Creditinfo has the most considerable global presence in this field of credit risk management, with a significantly greater footprint than competitors. For decades it has provided business information, risk management and credit bureau solutions to some of the largest, lenders, governments and central banks globally to increase financial inclusion and generate economic growth by allowing credit access for SMEs and individuals.
For more information, please visit www.creditinfo.com
About Little
Little App is a pan-African super app that has been transforming everyday experiences since 2016. With nearly a decade of innovation, Little offers a wide range of tech-driven solutions across mobility, payments, delivery, healthcare, and lifestyle services.
Operating in multiple African countries, Little serves both individual users and organizations—delivering convenience, affordability, and efficiency. From ride-hailing to enterprise transport solutions and digital wallets, Little is at the forefront of enabling digital and financial inclusion across the continent.
For more information, please visit www.little.bz
Creditinfo Kenya and Kamoa Join Forces to Expand Access to Credit Through Alternative Data
NAIROBI, Kenya – June 13, 2025 – Creditinfo Kenya (CIK), a credit information and risk management solutions provider, and Kamoa have announced a strategic partnership to improve credit decisioning and financial inclusion in Kenya.
The partnership will see Creditinfo Kenya leverage Kamoa’s alternative data technology to build more comprehensive credit profiles for individuals and SMEs. This approach aims to unlock lending opportunities for both the banked and underbanked, while enhancing the quality and inclusiveness of credit assessments.
Through this collaboration, Creditinfo Kenya and Kamoa aim to:
- Accelerate financial inclusion,
- Support the growth of SME lending
- Enable lenders to make more accurate, data-driven decisions
‘At Creditinfo, we’re committed to broadening access to financial services for individuals and businesses. Our partnership with Kamoa marks a key milestone in improving credit decisioning and inclusive financial solutions in Kenya. By using broader data, lenders can make smarter lending decisions, enabling more people to access the financial services they need to grow and prosper financially. Together, we’re setting a new standard in credit decisioning while fostering financial empowerment across Kenya,” said Kamau Kunyiha, Regional CEO East and Southern Africa at Creditinfo.
The agreement marks a significant step toward a more inclusive and data-enriched credit ecosystem in Kenya.
FIND THE WHITE PAPER HERE – Boosted Score - White Paper
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About Creditinfo
Established in 1997 and headquartered in London, UK, Creditinfo is a provider of credit information and risk management solutions worldwide. As one of the fastest-growing companies in its field, Creditinfo facilitates access to finance, through intelligent information, software and decision analytics solutions.
With more than 30 credit bureaus running today, Creditinfo has the most considerable global presence in this field of credit risk management, with a significantly greater footprint than competitors. For decades it has provided business information, risk management and credit bureau solutions to some of the largest lenders, governments and central banks globally to increase financial inclusion and generate economic growth by allowing credit access for SMEs and individuals.
For more information, please visit www.creditinfo.com
About Kamoa
Kamoa is a data technology company on a mission to unlock access to finance and financial opportunity across Africa. We harness the power of data to help individuals, small businesses, and financial institutions make smarter, more inclusive decisions. By building intelligent systems that connect and interpret diverse data sources, we aim to close information gaps and enable better financial outcomes across lending, savings, insurance, and beyond.
Founded in 2023, Kamoa began in stealth with a bold ambition: by 2030, to become a leading infrastructure layer for financial innovation across the continent — empowering players from microfinance institutions to major banks, and serving customers from every corner of the market.
For more information, please visit https://kamoa.app/enterprise
Creditinfo launches new platform to boost African businesses’ access to credit and global opportunities
Creditinfo’s Business Information Platform Africa aims to strengthen local economies and foster global partnerships
London – 14 May 2025 – Creditinfo has today announced the launch of Business Information Platform Africa (BI Africa) to help African businesses and financial services access trade credit more easily and build stronger relationships with global partners. The platform will be rolled out in Kenya in June, with more markets to follow.
The move builds on Creditinfo’s success in the Baltics, where its business information tools have helped companies navigate partnerships and manage risk for over a decade. Now, that same model is being brought to Africa – starting with Kenya – where access to verified, independent business data has often been a challenge.
‘This launch isn’t just about data. It’s about unlocking opportunity,’ said Satrajit Saha, CEO at Creditinfo. ‘When businesses have the right information at their fingertips, they can make smarter, faster decisions that drive growth, close more deals and build lasting confidence – both locally and globally.’
The BI Africa platform offers reports on over one million African companies, presented in a simple, globally standardised format. Users can check key facts about potential partners or customers, everything from credit health to company history, making it easier to assess risk and build trust. Additionally, as an added service, Kenyan businesses will have access to company reports on over 430 million international companies – empowering them to confidently verify both new and existing clients through Creditinfo and its network of global partners.
‘We want to make it easier for African businesses to prove their value, compete globally, and grow with confidence,’ added Saha. ‘Greater transparency leads to stronger trust and improved access to finance – benefits that extend across economies and communities. And that’s a win for everyone.’
It also includes a Manual Investigation Service for those who need deeper insight. Users can request tailored research into specific companies, providing information that goes beyond the numbers, like ownership structures, litigation history, or up-to-date financials. Crucially, the platform isn’t just for large institutions. It’s been designed to support SMEs and individual entrepreneurs, too – those who often struggle the most with gaining access to trade credit.
‘By bridging critical trust and information gaps, our robust platform will redefine what is possible for businesses, of all sizes, in Kenya and beyond. What once took three to five working days to verify a potential business partner can now happen in seconds, without compromising on regulatory compliance. That’s a game-changer for companies, particularly in the SME sector, who need to make quick decisions in competitive markets,’ said Kamau Kunyiha, Regional CEO East and Southern Africa at Creditinfo.
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About Creditinfo
Established in 1997 and headquartered in London, UK, Creditinfo is a provider of credit information and risk management solutions worldwide. As one of the fastest-growing companies in its field, Creditinfo facilitates access to finance, through intelligent information, software and decision analytics solutions.
With more than 30 credit bureaus running today, Creditinfo has the most considerable global presence in this field of credit risk management, with a significantly greater footprint than competitors. For decades it has provided business information, risk management and credit bureau solutions to some of the largest, lenders, governments and central banks globally to increase financial inclusion and generate economic growth by allowing credit access for SMEs and individuals.
For more information, please visit www.creditinfo.com
The Importance of Trust in Digital Interactions: The Cornerstone of a Digital Economy
There’s a diversity in maturity in digitization across the globe – from markets that are almost universally digital, through markets with developing digital economies, to markets with embryonic digital ecosystems. Mature economies typically have more mature controls but remain attractive to fraudsters because of the scale of opportunity – emerging digital economies typically have less robust ecosystems and are attractive because of the inherent vulnerabilities in the controls – with a promise for future growth.
The anonymity and distance that digital platforms afford make it easier for fraudsters to operate undetected.
For bad actors, the business model is scalable – in a digital economy the unique skills of Frank Abagnale Jr (of “Catch Me If You Can” fame) become redundant. The ready availability of personal data through vast data breaches and social engineering, and online access to digital channels present an attractive proposition for the enterprising fraudster.
In fact, cybercrime has risen dramatically alongside digital transformation, with fraud rates increasing globally – and we’re increasingly seeing collaboration between cybercrime, fraud, organised crime and money laundering. Organizations face mounting challenges in protecting their digital infrastructure and customers from fraudulent activities. From identity theft to financial scams, fraudsters are leveraging a wide array of tactics to deceive individuals and organizations.
The digital economy’s vulnerability to fraud presents significant risks, not only for organizations, but also for consumers. When fraud occurs, it undermines the trust that is essential to the functioning of the digital economy. If consumers and businesses cannot trust the digital services they engage with, it will slow adoption, hinder growth, and damage reputations. Therefore, mitigating fraud risk is not just about protecting individual interactions – it’s about maintaining the integrity of the entire digital ecosystem.
The importance of trust in digital interactions cannot be overstated. From e-commerce to financial services and beyond, trust is the foundation upon which all successful digital interactions are built. At the core of this trust is the concept of identity verification. In a world where interactions are increasingly conducted online, it’s critical to ensure the presented identity is a real-world identity, not synthetic – and that the individual presenting the identity is the owner of that identity.
The need to assert identity in digital engagements goes beyond basic security – it forms the bedrock of confidence that drives the entire online ecosystem. Whether consumers are signing up for a new banking service, purchasing products, or enrolling in educational courses, verifying the authenticity of their identity is paramount. Identity verification serves not only to protect individuals but also to secure businesses from fraudulent activities, which, in turn, strengthens the broader digital economy.
The Role of Identity Verification in Mitigating Fraud Risk
At the heart of reducing fraud risk lies robust identity verification. This process ensures that the individual engaging with a digital platform is who they claim to be. It is a crucial step that lays the groundwork for every subsequent transaction, providing a layer of protection for both consumers and businesses. Without reliable identity verification, any digital interaction is susceptible to being manipulated by malicious actors.
Identity verification can be achieved through a variety of techniques, including biometric verification, document verification, and multi-factor authentication. These methods allow businesses to verify that a person is genuine, providing them with the confidence to proceed with transactions. This, in turn, enables a safer and more reliable digital environment for everyone involved.
However, while basic identity verification is a critical first step, it is only part of the solution.
The Power of Layering Fraud Defences
In a digital economy, an identity is far more than a name, address, date of birth and national id number.
From basic digital identity attributes such as mobile numbers, email addresses and IP addresses, through payment attributes such as bank details and credit card numbers, through connected messaging apps and service accounts, through device attributes such as screen size, make, model, time zone, location, installed apps, through biometric attributes such as facial patterns, to behavioural attributes such as physical device interactions. A digital identity is an extensive and interconnected web of many attributes.
The real strength in mitigating fraud risk lies in combining multiple layers of defence – a multifaceted approach that examines not only the traditional identity attributes, but the wider digital footprint and the connections between attributes across the identity graph. Consistency and conformity to normalised patterns help establish greater trust – inconsistency and anomalous patterns indicate greater risk. Machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques are increasingly used to examine attribute patterns – generating increasingly performant models.
The power of a layered approach lies in managing the balance between making life difficult for bad actors and removing friction in genuine interactions. In a digital economy consumers become increasingly intolerant of any friction in their interactions with organisations. Where consumers encounter even minor friction, they will abandon the sales process and look for alternative providers – in a competitive market, the winners will be the businesses who deliver the easiest way to interact – but without appropriate fraud defences, success will be short lived.
More accurate multifaceted risk assessments can be implemented based lighter data capture, drawing insights from a broad range of sources, reducing CX friction and abandonment, readily securing greater trust, more accurately exposing risk.
Summary
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, organizations must prioritize trust as the cornerstone of their interactions with consumers. Robust identity verification and a layered approach to fraud prevention are not just best practices – they are essential for maintaining the integrity of the digital economy. By effectively combining multiple layers of defence, businesses can balance security with convenience, reducing fraud risk without sacrificing customer experience. In the end, fostering trust in digital engagements is the key to enabling sustained growth and success in an increasingly complex and competitive online ecosystem.
For more information, please visit: www.creditinfo.com
or email info@creditinfo.com
Author : Robert Meakin – Director, Fraud & ID, Creditinfo Group
Creditinfo Launches New Global Fraud & ID Solution
Creditinfo’s new solution supports clients in mitigating the impact of fraud and supporting organisational growth.
London – 27th March 2025: Creditinfo, a global service provider for credit information and risk management solutions, has today announced the launch of its global identity, know your customer (KYC), and fraud and ID solution, set to help organisations tackle financial crime.
The overall global economic impact of financial crime has been estimated to be $5 trillion. What’s more, according to the 2024 Nasdaq global financial crime report, fraud losses totalled $485.6 billion worldwide, from fraud scams and bank fraud schemes alone. As such, organisations face a series of challenges, from eroding profit margins to reputational risks to data breaches. Creditinfo’s solution helps organisations to address these challenges by using credit bureau data, government information services, and other registries to establish trust in presented identities, without negatively impacting the customer experience.
The solution integrates identity proofing, digital risk signals and comprehensive international and domestic watchlists to deliver strong KYC compliance and reduce the risk of fraudulent activity. It also enables businesses to streamline risk management and ensures they meet stringent customer due diligence requirements under anti-money laundering (AML) regulations.
As a global solution, it is tailored to meet the unique needs and maturity-levels of different markets. By accounting for these differences, organisations that use the solution can adapt their fraud prevention strategies to specific local risks, strengthening security and promoting financial inclusion.
Creditinfo has appointed Rob Meakin as Director of Fraud & Identity to head up this service. He brings extensive experience in fraud prevention, identity management, and financial services. Meakin will lead efforts to help organisations counter fraud – leveraging advanced technologies and data analytics to enhance the customer experience and strengthen fraud and AML controls.
Rob Meakin, Director of Fraud and Identity at Creditinfo, said: “The growing presence of organised financial crime is significantly hindering economic growth on both a local and global scale, costing businesses huge sums of money each year – in fraud losses, lost sales and operational costs. That’s why, at Creditinfo, we’re pioneering a solution that provides a way for organisations to manage risk and maintain compliance while facilitating secure and easy access to financial products and services for consumers.”
John Cannon, Chief Commercial Officer at Creditinfo said: “By removing friction from both traditional and digital onboarding and origination processes, our solution helps organisations reduce fraud, improve conversion rates, and drive top-line growth while ensuring a seamless customer journey. As we strive to expand our global reach and enhance financial access for millions of consumers and businesses worldwide, having Rob join our team is an invaluable advantage, strengthening both our security capabilities and our ability to deliver innovative solutions.”
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About Creditinfo
Established in 1997 and headquartered in London, UK, Creditinfo is a provider of credit information and risk management solutions worldwide. As one of the fastest-growing companies in its field, Creditinfo facilitates access to finance, through intelligent information, software and decision analytics solutions.
With more than 30 credit bureaus running today, Creditinfo has the most considerable global presence in this field of credit risk management, with a significantly greater footprint than competitors. For decades it has provided business information, risk management and credit bureau solutions to some of the largest, lenders, governments and central banks globally to increase financial inclusion and generate economic growth by allowing credit access for SMEs and individuals.
For more information, please visit www.creditinfo.com
For inquiries email rob.meakin@creditinfo.com
Download Brochure HereCreditinfo Lithuania Analysis: In 2024, An Average of Three Companies Filed For Bankruptcy Daily
According to Creditinfo Lithuania’s analysis, 1,079 company bankruptcies were registered in Lithuania in 2024—a 16.1% increase compared to 929 cases in 2023. However, this figure is slightly lower than in 2022 when 1,087 bankruptcies were recorded (a 0.7% decrease).
Key Sectors Affected: Construction, Trade, Transport, and Manufacturing
Construction Sector Challenges
The construction sector faced the highest number of bankruptcies in 2024, with 243 cases, marking a 16.8% increase from 208 cases in 2023. However, this was a slight 2.5% decrease compared to 2022 (237 bankruptcies). Currently, 11,299 companies operate in the construction sector in Lithuania.
Dovilė Krikščiukaitė, Head of Legal at Creditinfo Lithuania, noted that the sector struggled with insufficient demand, particularly in real estate. However, engineering construction projects increased by 10.3%, and many companies remain optimistic, planning to hire more employees and anticipating growth.
Despite these challenges, economic analyst Aleksandras Izgorodinas from Citadele Bank projects fewer bankruptcies in 2025 due to declining interest rates in the eurozone. Improved real estate transactions and mortgage volumes are already evident, which could stabilize the construction sector further.
“However, I believe that in 2025, the number of bankruptcies in the construction sector will decline. With falling base interest rates in the eurozone, we are already observing a recovery in real estate transactions and mortgage volumes. Buyers are returning to the real estate market, and the cost of borrowing continues to decrease. This will lead to fewer bankruptcies in the construction sector in 2025. It is projected that the ECB will lower interest rates at least three more times this year, further supporting recovery in Lithuania’s construction and real estate sectors and reducing bankruptcy numbers,” said A. Izgorodinas.
Wholesale and Retail Trade
The wholesale and retail trade sector had the second-highest number of bankruptcies, with 237 cases, a 3.9% increase from 2023 (228 bankruptcies). However, this figure was lower than in 2022 (251 cases). With 23,601 companies, this sector remains the largest in Lithuania.
“Companies in this sector faced fluctuating demand, but recovering domestic consumption and increasing real wages resulted in higher revenues compared to the previous year,” explained D. Krikščiukaitė.
Transport Sector Under Pressure
The transport and logistics sector, comprising 8,684 companies, saw 134 bankruptcies—a dramatic 74% increase from 77 in 2023 and a 35.4% rise compared to 99 cases in 2022.
“Unlike the construction sector, where we see the first signs of recovery, the transport sector is yet to show improvement. For instance, Germany’s truck mileage index, which strongly correlates with Lithuania’s transport services export indicators, fell to its lowest level since the end of 2020 by the end of 2025, being 2% lower than at the end of 2024. This indicates that the transport sector will likely remain under pressure in the near future. The sector is highly sensitive to fuel price fluctuations and supply chain disruptions, which often create difficulties for smaller companies,” commented Citadele Bank’s economist.
Manufacturing Sector Struggles
The manufacturing sector, with 8,440 companies, recorded 121 bankruptcies in 2024—a 31.5% increase from 92 in 2023 and a nearly 25% rise compared to 97 in 2022.
According to Creditinfo Lithuania’s head of legal, reduced demand in European export markets, rising raw material costs, and higher energy expenses led to financial difficulties for many manufacturing companies.
Positive Developments in the Accommodation, Food Services, and Real Estate Sectors
Despite the rise in bankruptcies in the sectors, certain industries exhibited positive trends. In 2024, the number of bankruptcies in the accommodation and food services sector dropped by 20% to 66 cases compared to 82 cases in 2023. Moreover, this figure represents a 52% reduction compared to 2022, which saw 137 bankruptcies. Currently, 3,837 companies operate in this sector in Lithuania.
Similarly, the real estate (RE) operations sector, encompassing 6,621 companies, also demonstrated improvement. Bankruptcies in this sector decreased by 22.7% in 2024, from 44 cases in 2023 to 34 cases. In 2022, 33 insolvency cases were recorded in this sector.
Analysis of insolvent companies revealed that the total turnover of bankrupt companies in 2023 was €194.28 million, with the average annual turnover per company standing at €848,000. Notably, the workforce within these companies experienced a significant decline. At the beginning of 2023, these firms employed 7,292 workers; by October, this number had fallen to 5,551 employees.
“Monitoring the key operational metrics of business partners can help identify early warning signs. A decrease in workforce, reduction in the transport fleet, changes in management or shareholders, relocation of headquarters, or declining turnover are indicators that warrant close attention to ensure reliable partnerships and the fulfillment of financial commitments,” stated Dovilė Krikščiukaitė, Head of the Legal Department at Creditinfo Lietuva.
The head of Creditinfo Lietuva’s Legal Department also observed a trend toward younger companies becoming insolvent. In 2024, the average age of bankrupt companies was 10.58 years, compared to 11.68 years in 2023 and 12.31 years in 2022.
“This shift indicates that an increasing number of young companies are struggling to overcome market challenges and adapt to changing economic conditions. Young businesses often face financial management deficiencies, high costs, and intense competition, which exacerbate their difficulties,” added the Creditinfo Lietuva representative.
