Today in the Connected Economy: Experian Offers Renters a ‘Game Changer’

Today in the connected economy, credit reporting agency Experian has launched what it calls a first-of-its-kind tool to help renters boost their credit scores. Plus, payments company FLEETCOR signed a deal with Exxon Mobil for fuel card acceptance, and FinTech DailyPay introduced its general purpose reloadable prepaid card.

Experian Launches Tool for Uploading Rental Payments to Credit File

Credit reporting agency Experian has debuted a tool that helps renters contribute qualifying, “positive” residential rent payments directly to their Experian credit file.

The move is designed to help U.S. renters gain a new way to improve their credit scores, and Experian said it is the only solution that can “instantly improve a consumer’s FICO Score 8 through positive rent payments at no cost.”

“Experian Boost is a game changer, and we’re excited to launch the first phase of this new enhancement that will allow consumers to instantly add rental payments to their Experian credit file,” said Jeff Softley, president of direct to consumer at Experian Consumer Services.

Exxon Mobil to Accept FLEETCOR’s Fuelman, Comdata Cards

Business payments company FLEETCOR has partnered with Exxon Mobil, with the oil company accepting FLEETCOR’s Fuelman cards at more than 12,000 U.S. Exxon and Mobil stations.

Additionally, Exxon Mobil will begin accepting FLEETCOR’s Comdata trucking cards at commercial fueling locations next year.

“We’re extremely excited about this relationship,” said Keagan Russo, president at Fuelman. “It improves our network coverage nationally, and further entrenches the Fuelman network as the standard for local fleets looking for the ideal mix of convenience, control, and savings.”

DailyPay Launches Prepaid Card, App for Employees Getting On-Demand Pay

FinTech DailyPay has launched a general purpose reloadable prepaid card and an app called Friday, allowing employees to receive instant, no-fee, on-demand pay transfers from employers that use the company’s on-demand pay platform.

Friday, which was created in partnership with Visa and The Bancorp Bank, also allows users to view and access earned pay before payday, add the card to a mobile wallet, make purchases, manage their money and track spending.

OneSpan, BankID Extend Digital Identity Service to All Norwegian Banks

OneSpan, a digital agreements security provider, and electronic identity firm BankID have expanded their partnership, offering digital identity protection for cross-border transactions to all Norwegian banks.

The collaboration will combine several digital identity solutions at BankID, which is an electronic ID for secure identification and online signing used by 90 banks and 9,000 merchants and 4 million Norwegian banking customers. According to a press release, OneSpan will also help compliance with an upcoming digital identity wallet requirement in the European Union.

“We are strong believers in creating magic for the users in terms of experience, with as little friction as possible and users feeling safe and secure when using our services,” BankID Head Jan Bjerved said. “Our trust in OneSpan is based on their proven solutions that ensure we provide the highest level of security to our entire population.”

Depop Founder Simon Beckerman’s DELLI Food Marketplace Raises $7.2M

The founder of peer-to-peer eCommerce platform Depop, Simon Beckerman, has launched a new marketplace for independent sellers to connect with buyers.

That marketplace, DELLI, has raised $7.2 million following a roughly $2.9 million seed funding round that was announced in December.

“I am really excited to announce DELLI’s $7.2 million raise to further ignite growth and expand its offer to makers and consumers alike,” Beckerman said in a statement. “DELLI’s success over the year, from the 200 makers already signed up to the app to units sold, highlights that there is space in the market for DELLI and a consumer desire for its service.”