A case study by Praxent^⌘

Accelerating Real-Time Decisioning and Integrations for an Auto-Finance Fintech

An autolending fintech unlocks opportunities for credit unions and banks to offer near- and subprime loans while keeping risk in check.

To maintain their competitive edge, this company partnered with Praxent to modernize their legacy architecture for faster underwriting decisioning, direct tri-credit-bureau integrations, data control, and a better user experience.

SCOPE

Real-time loan underwriting decisioning service
Credit reporting microservice with direct credit bureau integrations
Microservices architecture migration from monolithic platform
Vehicle valuation service with Kelley Blue Book and NADA integrations
UI design system and component library implementation
Automated testing + CI/CD pipeline deployment

Results

Decisioning engine with sub-second response time
90%+ test coverage for core decisioning engine, validated by real-world users
New credit reporting microservice
CRA integrations to Experian, TransUnion, Equifax
Real-time vehicle valuation service using APIs
Direct integrations to Kelley Blue Book, LexisNexis, NADA
Launched 2 weeks early
Eliminated third-party dependencies
30+ reusable UI components built
100% sprint commitments met throughout engagement

The challenges

Platform transformation

Transitioning from a monolithic architecture to a microservices approach, rewriting UI components, and adopting containerization.

Slow loan processes

Legacy underwriting system caused loan approval delays, frustrating dealers, decreasing sales, and reducing competitive advantage.

Unreliable third-party dependencies

Inconsistent uptime and frequent outages created single points of failure, slowing funding cycles.

Brittle monolithic architecture

Outdated infrastructure hindered new feature development, made engineer onboarding difficult, and caused frequent outages due to tightly coupled systems.

Manual vehicle valuation processes

Without an integrated valuation service, data entry and vehicle valuation lookups were time-intensive, significantly extending loan processing time and increasing error rates.

Poor user experience

Platform UI lacked modern design standards across loan processing screens and user workflows, leading to inconsistent experiences that hurt adoption.

Limited development velocity

Manual testing processes and lack of automated pipelines hampered feature releases and reduced deployment confidence.

THE VISION

Driving lenders forward

They wanted a product platform that could scale fast with microservices and containerization, eliminate unreliable third-party dependencies through direct integration with all three major credit bureaus, and accelerate loan decisioning. The company engaged Praxent to deliver a real-time underwriting engine, modernize UX with a comprehensive design system, and implement automated testing and CI/CD pipelines to support rapid, reliable feature releases while streamlining the lender-dealer experience.

Real-Time Decisioning Engine

Praxent upgraded the core decisioning engine for flexibility and speed, creating a high-performance underwriting system that processes loan decisions in sub-second response times, leading to faster approvals and more closed deals.

Platform Modernization

Migrated them from monolithic architecture to modular, scalable microservices that support flexible business rules and high-volume transaction processing.

Credit Reporting Microservice

Replaced a fragile third-party dependency with direct integrations to Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, eliminating single points of failure and giving direct control over key data sources.

Real-Time Vehicle Valuation

Integrated APIs from NADA and Kelley Blue Book to deliver accurate, real-time vehicle valuations for underwriting and loan-to-value calculations.

Risk Data Integration

Added LexisNexis integration for supplemental risk data to improve decisioning accuracy and reduce lending risk exposure.

UX Modernization + Design System

Created modern UI design system with reusable components and streamlined user workflows across loan processing screens. Validated the product with real-world finance managers to reduce operational friction and accelerate deal processing.

CI/CD and Test Automation

Implemented comprehensive testing strategies with 90%+ automated test coverage for core decisioning engine and deployment automation to ensure system reliability and support rapid feature delivery.

Why Praxent

A collaborative environment

The company’s collaboration with Praxent was marked by active participation, including attendance at Praxent’s daily standup meetings and joint DevOps sessions.

#AlwaysDeliver

Meghan Matson

Principal Delivery Lead, Praxent

Our engagement extended to contributing to the company’s planning sessions, ensuring alignment and shared objectives. We consistently met all six weekly sprint commitments throughout the project, demonstrating high reliability and dedication to project success.

Measurable results

Decisioning engine with sub-second response time

90%+ test coverage for core decisioning engine, validated by real-world users

New credit reporting microservice

CRA Integrations to Experian, TransUnion, Equifax

Real-time vehicle valuation service using APIs

Direct integrations to Kelley Blue Book, LexisNexis, NADA

Launched 2 weeks early

Eliminated third-party dependencies

30+ reusable UI components built

100% sprint commitments met throughout engagement

Command your Future.

Tim Hamilton

Founder and CEO, Praxent

Working together, we were able to help this automotive lending fintech overcome the challenges associated with potential staff attrition while quickly expanding its microservices architecture. We are proud to have supported them as they empower banks and credit unions to approach auto loans and better serve their communities more strategically.