When banks and credit unions evaluate lending program options, the question isn’t just which program adds the most yield to the balance sheet — it's which program creates lasting institutional value. Upstart's AI lending marketplace offers banks and credit unions a differentiated solution: an ongoing strategic partnership to grow secured and unsecured consumer lending and gain new customers that is precisely configured to their credit box and net return targets.
Upstart's AI lending marketplace offers banks and credit unions a differentiated solution: an ongoing strategic partnership to grow secured and unsecured consumer lending and gain new customers that is precisely configured to their credit box and net return targets.
A multi-product marketplace built for efficient capital allocation
Upstart operates as a marketplace built for efficient capital allocation across multiple products — personal loans, indirect auto and HELOC from Upstart Home Lending — through a single partnership. That means one implementation, one compliance relationship and one account management team, giving you access to a diversified mix of high-performing consumer loans that can grow with your institution over time.
Growing customers and members
With Upstart, banks and credit unions not only grow and diversify their loan portfolio, but also gain new prime customers and members that fit their desired credit parameters. Across Upstart’s lending marketplace, qualified loan applicants who meet your credit box receive your offer as they transition to complete the online application and closing process.
By leveraging Upstart's lending platform, banks and credit unions have acquired new customers and members for long-term growth. Since launching with Upstart, Patelco has gained nearly 16,000 members, equating to about 18 percent member growth from the partnership.
A Unique Cross-Sell Opportunity
Upstart-powered loans give institutions a true customer relationship from day one. With Upstart, banks and credit unions are poised to grow these relationships by cross-selling their other offerings that best meet those new customers' needs.
Upstart's APIs and connectors allow seamless onboarding to your core banking system so new customer and loan data is immediately available.
Upstart's Borrower Cross-Sell program takes this further, enabling partners to run automated, personalized follow-up campaigns that convert new loan relationships into multi-product relationships.
Upstart's lending partners have seen meaningful success deepening these relationships. For example, over 11 percent of Commonwealth Credit Union's members gained through Upstart went on to open additional products, including checking and savings accounts, credit cards, home equity loans and auto loans.
Full balance sheet control
Upstart's marketplace gives banks and credit unions a flexible way to deploy capital that stays aligned with their balance sheet goals. Partners set their strategy upfront — credit policy, target returns, risk tolerance and the volume they want across personal, auto and HELOC — and retain the flexibility to adjust all of it over time as market conditions and liquidity needs change.
That control extends across four levers:
- Credit box parameters: Configure variables such as credit score, maximum debt-to-income, max APR and geographic restrictions so every loan meets your institution's requirements.
- Return targets: Define the net yield you need from the program and adjust as portfolio performance and market conditions shift. Upstart's lending partners are seeing returns of up to 9 percent net of losses and fees.
- Capital allocation mix: Shift allocation across personal, auto and HELOC on demand — without building new programs or adding internal staffing — as your strategy evolves.
- Volume pacing: Dial loan volume up or down based on liquidity, deposit growth or broader economic signals.
Lenders monitor ongoing portfolio performance through real-time visibility and partner with Upstart's account management team to fine-tune their strategy quickly — giving them a controllable, predictable way to grow lending while staying in command of how and when capital is deployed.
The AI-driven advantage
As economic cycles change, lenders have the option to begin with lower loan volumes and gradually scale as their comfort level increases. Upstart developed the Upstart Macro Index (UMI) to measure how changing economic conditions like inflation and unemployment are impacting credit performance for Upstart loans, allowing banks and credit unions to make better informed decisions about their portfolios. By closely monitoring and revisiting their loan parameters with their account management team, they can adjust return targets or dial loan volumes up or down in accordance with market conditions.
Upstart's AI and machine learning algorithm also enables lenders to approve more creditworthy borrowers than traditional credit scoring alone. Upstart's personal loan model approves 41 percent more borrowers than a traditional model, and since institutions tailor the program to their own credit policy, those additional approvals fall within their desired risk tolerance.
A committed partner in your growth journey
Upstart is fully committed to supporting its lending partners and their core business strategy, allowing them to meet portfolio and performance goals, deepen new customer and member relationships, and deliver an exceptional borrower experience.
Dedicated Account Management and Customer Success teams conduct ongoing strategic reviews, helping partners optimize their programs, navigate economic shifts and ensure partners always have a clear picture of performance, while Upstart's Performance Console gives partners real-time KPI tracking and portfolio monitoring.
Upstart’s lending marketplace gives banks and credit unions the right partner, program and tools to find the right borrowers within their appropriate risk appetite: across multiple products, with full visibility and with a partner invested in their long-term success.
If you’re interested in learning more about how Upstart can help your institution grow secured and unsecured consumer lending while gaining new customers and members, book a demo today.
