Our history

Founded in Bologna in 1988, CRIF has an international presence, operating over four continents (Europe, America, Africa and Asia). The development of CRIF is guided by a vision and a global approach.

The stages of the development of CRIF

1988	CRIF is founded in Bologna, Italy.
1997	CRIF Decision Solutions Ltd. is established in the United Kingdom, specializes in the implementation and management of customer database solutions, in particular claims databases and fraud prevention solutions for British insurance companies.
1999	CRIF extends its international presence by establishing the company CRIF North America Corp. in the United States, with its headquarters in Tampa (Florida, USA), together with CRIBIS Corp. CRIBIS Corporation is the CRIF Group company that develops and distributes online services on a global level for decision support in relation to strategic credit management and marketing policies, providing access to reports and business information on companies, industries and markets around the world.
2001	The strategic alliance with the American company TransUnion, leader in the NAFTA market, leads to the establishment of a joint venture, developing custom business solutions based on statistical models in Mexico (TransUnion CRIF Decision Solutions S.A. de C.V.) and for the Canadian and Central and South American markets (TransUnion CRIF Decision Solutions LLC).
2005	With the aim of strengthening its role and relationships with financial institutions in the strategic markets of New Europe, CRIF is involved in setting up CCB - Czech Credit Bureau and SCB - Slovak Credit Bureau, and subsequently acquires 100% of the capital. These companies manage credit bureaus in the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic, respectively. CRIF becomes a founder, together with the National Banking Association (ARB) and some of the leading banks in Russia, of the National Bureau of Credit Histories (NBCH), the company which goes on to create the local credit bureau which todays has around 600 participating credit institutions.
2006	CRIF further extends its presence in Eastern Europe, acquiring INFIN in the Slovak Republic, a company specializing in advanced business information services, subsequently merging into SCB – Slovak Credit Bureau.
2007	At the start of 2007, the Polish company InfoData, established in 1990 as a division of the National Chamber of Commerce, also joins CRIF Group. Starting from 2008, the company takes the name CRIF Sp. Z.o.o, and offers the Polish market high added-value business information services and up-to-date credit reports on Polish and foreign companies, as well as decision support models, outsourcing, software and consultancy services. The direct presence of CRIF in Russia is reinforced with the establishment of a company OOO CRIF, headquartered in Moscow, able to offer services ranging from decision support to consultancy, outsourcing, software solutions and debt collection.
2008	Starting from 2008, CRIF consolidates its presence in the North and Central American market through Magnum (based in Atlanta, USA) and CRIF S.A. de C.V. (based in Mexico City), through which decision support and software solutions are developed. In July 2008, CRIF acquires Teres Solutions, a company based in Texas (USA). Teres Solutions develops advanced direct and indirect lending solutions, representing the benchmark in the financial services markets.
2009	CRIF announces the acquisition of the Italian subsidiary of Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), the most important player on an international level in the area of business information. CRIF acquires FLS, a Dallas based company and leader in the supply of indirect lending solutions, as well as Aimbridge Indirect Lending LLC and Member Lending Acceptance LLC (headquartered in Denver, Colorado), a company specializing in integrated lending support solutions in the automotive sector. In Hungary, CRIF Zrt., the newly established CRIF Group company based in Budapest, obtains a license from the Hungarian Financial Supervisory Authority to establish the first private and voluntary credit bureau system in the country.
2010	CRIF acquires APPRO Systems from Equifax in the US. APPRO Systems is a leader in loan origination and account opening solutions for US financial institutions. Also in 2010, in India CRIF enters into a partnership agreement with High Mark Credit, while in Vietnam, CRIF is chosen by PCB as its partner for the development of the country's main credit reporting system. CRIF is also the major shareholder in PCB as part of the strategic partnership established in Vietnam.
2011	CRIF acquires Cypress Software Systems in the US. Cypress offers a range of software and services to support financial institutions in the automation of loan application assessment and management, and decision making processes. The new CRIF Beijing company is established in China to provide credit risk management solutions to retail banks and to auto finance companies in the country. CRIF acquires Deltavista operations in Switzerland and Austria. Deltavista is one of the main credit bureaus and risk management solution providers in German-speaking European countries.
2012	CRIF opens a representative office in Jakarta, Indonesia, to strengthen and consolidate its presence in South-East Asia. CRIF wins the international tender issued by the Credit Information Bureau of Tajikistan (CIBT) for the development and management of the first credit bureau in Tajikistan. CRIF acquires Dun & Bradstreet Turkey, Finar and Kompass Turkey.
2013	CRIF strengthens its presence in South-East Asia with new offices in Hong Kong SAR and the Philippines.
2014	CRIF continues to grow in Turkey through the acquisition of the majority share in Recom, a leading company in the debt collection sector. CRIF acquires OFWI - Teledata, part of Axon Active Holding AG to strengthen its presence in the lending support solution market in Switzerland. In India, CRIF becomes the major shareholder in High Mark. High Mark Credit Information Services is one of the main credit information companies in India, managing credit information from banks and financial institutions operating in consumer credit, microcredit, and credit to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. CRIF acquires Dun & Bradstreet UAE in Dubai.
2015	CRIF acquires 30% of Nomisma, the Bologna-based company specialized in economic and industrial research. In Germany, CRIF acquires Bürgel, the joint venture between Euler Hermes (Allianz Group), global leader in trade credit insurance, and EOS (Otto Group), international financial services provider.
2016	CRIF acquires the Deltavista operations in Germany and Poland. This transaction further strengthens CRIF's industry-leading positioning in the field of banking credit information and risk management solutions in continental Europe. CRIF strengthens its activities in Russia by acquiring Microfinance Technologies Center. MTC is a leader in the credit information sector and supplier of risk management solutions. CRIF takes over CCIS-China Credit Information Service, the Taiwan area’s largest and leading credit information agency.
2017	In Jamaica, CRIF acquires 100% of the shares in CRIF NM. CRIF reinforces its positioning in the country to offer integrated and advanced solutions to Jamaican credit institutions and consumers. In Russia, CRIF acquires the activities of Luxbase LLC, a company that provides software to banks, microfinance organizations and utility companies for the automation of debt collection processes. CRIF continues its expansion in the Far East thanks to the acquisition of 100% of PT VISI in Indonesia, a company specializing in business information services. CRIF opens a start-up company in Singapore, offering consultancy services, software and innovative solutions for credit management. CRIF opens a start-up company in Malaysia, offering consultancy services, software and innovative solutions for credit management.
2018	CRIF acquires Vision-Net in Ireland. CRIF aims to further consolidate its footprint in the region, delivering value-added services and innovative solutions to the market, supporting customers in meeting their goals with a wider range of innovative products and services, ranging from risk management to business development and compliance. CRIF acquires Dun & Bradstreet Vietnam and its franchise operations in Brunei, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia, integratings its decision support systems with Dun & Bradstreet data and risk management solutions to support southeast companies developing their business. CRIF acquires Dun & Bradstreet Philippines and strengthens its leading position in the field of business and credit information and risk management solutions in the ASEAN region.
2019	CRIF acquires majority stake in Inventia - the digital identification software company Using Inventia's technology, CRIF has strengthened its 'Omnichannel Smart Onboarding' platform for credit processes, enriching it with components that increase the user experience in the 'Phygital' interaction with the end customer. CRIF becomes the first Open Banking AISP to be registered in more than 20 European countries Thanks to the acquisition of Credit Data Research Realtime Holdings Ltd. through its fully owned company CRIF Buergel, CRIF can now offer Open Banking services to enable the exchange of retail credit payment data between consumers/companies and organizations, and improve transparency in dealing with business partners and customers. CRIF acquires BizInsights, a world-leading business information provider operating in Singapore The new company, CRIF BizInsights, will be able to provide Singaporean and global companies and professionals with business information and detailed analyses, empowering their credit risk management, allowing them to easily monitor competitors and suppliers, boosting their customer targeting activities, and meeting due diligence and compliance requirements. CRIF completes its coverage as an AISP through the registration of CRIF RealTime Ireland The authorization issued to CRIF RealTime Ireland extends CRIF's area of operation as an AISP to all the 31 countries where the revised Payment Services Directive is applicable.
2020	CRIF acquired the total shareholding of Strands, a FinTech company specialized in advanced digital banking solutions. Strands is one of the top global providers of AI-driven Business and Personal Financial Management with offices in the USA, Spain, Asia and South America. CRIF Kredit-Axborot Xizmatlari obtains license to establish and operate credit bureau in Uzbekistan.
2021	The Shanghai Head Office of the People's Bank of China (“PBOC”) approved of the registration of CRIF as a business and credit information provider. Know Your Customer and CRIF announce strategic investment and global commercial partnership for premium corporate KYC. The partnership will enable Know Your Customer to leverage CRIF’s long-established and extensive customer network across 40 countries and 10,500 financial institutions to accelerate growth in new and existing global markets. CRIF acquires 70% of “Safe&Sound CJSC”, a credit bureau company in Kyrgyzstan. With the acquisition, the company name becomes "CRIF KG CJSC". CRIF acquires ICAP, the largest B2B services group in Greece. The acquisition will strengthen CRIF’s leading position in the field of business and credit information and risk management solutions in the region.
2022	CRIF acquires the majority of shares in HPI. The acquisition will strengthen CRIF’s local presence in the field of risk management and decision support solutions.