Creditreform Rating
Creditreform Rating AG is an ESMA-registered European credit rating agency (Neuss, Germany) offering corporate, bank, structured finance, asset-based finance, ESG, and fund ratings to issuers, banks, institutional investors, and sovereigns under EU Regulation 1060/2009 with ECAI status.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersNeuss, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Creditreform Rating does
Creditreform Rating AG is an ESMA-registered European credit rating agency headquartered in Neuss, Germany, established in 2000 as the regulated rating arm of the Creditreform Group. The firm operates pursuant to EU Regulation (EC) No. 1060/2009, holds External Credit Assessment Institution (ECAI) status under the Capital Requirements Regulation, and is approved by both the European Banking Authority (EBA) and the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) for regulatory capital use, with additional recognition under the German EntschFinV since March 2023. It maintains representation offices and partner agencies in Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, and conducts ratings throughout Europe and the USA.
The company provides a full-service rating product suite spanning corporate issuer and issue ratings, bank and covered bond ratings, structured finance ratings (Auto ABS, Consumer ABS, CMBS, RMBS, NPL, SME CDO, Credit Cards ABS, Trade Receivables), institutional investor debt and asset-based finance ratings covering Real Estate, Private Debt, Infrastructure, Renewable Energy, Aviation, NPL and Microfinance, ESG sustainability ratings, and fund ratings for closed-end alternative investment funds. Its analytical engine relies on proprietary methodologies, quantitative modeling including Monte Carlo simulations, cash flow modeling, scenario and stress analyses, and access to the Creditreform Group's database of approximately three million German-domiciled businesses for default and probability studies. Methodology development is continuous, with a dense cadence of new and updated methodologies across 2023–2026.
Creditreform Rating monetizes through fee-based professional services: issuers and investors commission corporate, bank, sovereign, structured finance, and asset-based finance ratings on multi-year contracts with ongoing surveillance, supplemented by ESG ratings, fund ratings, mandated analyses, customized research, and the sale of rating data through interfaces. Go-to-market is direct enterprise sales to corporate issuers, banks, institutional investors (pension funds, insurance companies), sovereign entities, and fund managers, with rating outputs used by European banks and insurers to satisfy Basel III, CRR, and Solvency II capital and investment mandates. Headcount sits in the 51–100 range, with employees drawn from more than ten countries.
Creditreform Rating firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Creditreform Rating
- Legal name
- Creditreform Rating AG
- Website
- https://creditreform-rating.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Creditreform Rating AG is an ESMA-registered European credit rating agency (Neuss, Germany) offering corporate, bank, structured finance, asset-based finance, ESG, and fund ratings to issuers, banks, institutional investors, and sovereigns under EU Regulation 1060/2009 with ECAI status.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Creditreform Rating industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Credit Rating Services
- NAICS
- Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (5223)
- SIC
- Services-Consumer Credit Reporting, Collection Agencies (7320)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Credit Research (FSACAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- ESG Data, Ratings & Climate Benchmarks (FSAFAIAI)
Keywords
Where Creditreform Rating is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Neuss
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices8 records
Markets served
Creditreform Rating business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Credit Rating Services: Fees from issuing credit ratings to corporate issuers, banks, and structured finance instruments. Both solicited and unsolicited ratings provided. Revenue also derived from pre-ratings, credit estimates, and credit assessments.
- ESG Ratings: ESG sustainability ratings for companies, banks, and financial service providers.
- Fund Ratings: Independent assessments of closed-end alternative investment funds including Private Debt, Private Equity, and Venture Capital funds.
- Mandated Analyses and Research: Economic analyses, market analyses, and customized research publications. Also includes sale of rating data through interfaces.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Others | Multi-year contract | Custom enterprise pricing based on rating type and complexity |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Creditreform Rating product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Creditreform Rating AG is a European credit rating agency that delivers credit risk assessments across multiple asset classes including structured finance, banks, corporates, asset-based finance instruments, ESG, and closed-end funds. Operating as an ESMA-registered ECAI under EU Regulation No. 1060/2009, it provides solicited and unsolicited ratings, pre-ratings, credit estimates, and ongoing surveillance to issuers, banks, institutional investors, and sovereign entities across Europe.
Product overview
Creditreform Rating is a full-service European credit rating agency providing a comprehensive suite of rating products across credit risk categories. Its core offerings include Institutional Investor Debt / Asset Based Finance Ratings (covering Real Estate, Private Debt, Infrastructure, Renewable Energy, Aviation, NPL, and Microfinance), Structured Finance Ratings (Auto ABS, Consumer ABS, CMBS, RMBS, CLN, SME CLO), Bank Ratings (issuer ratings, covered bonds, bank capital instruments), Corporate Ratings (issuer and issue ratings), ESG Ratings (sustainability assessments), and Fund Ratings (closed-end funds in Private Debt, Private Equity, and Venture Capital). The company also produces research publications including Capital Markets analyses, Default Studies, and Economic Briefs. Since 2011, Creditreform Rating has operated as an ESMA-registered rating agency under EU Regulation (EC) No. 1060/2009 with ECAI status under CRR, enabling its ratings to be used for regulatory capital calculation purposes by supervised financial institutions across Europe.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Institutional Investor Debt / Asset Based Finance Ratings Credit ratings analyzing financial instruments whose proceeds are invested directly or indirectly to finance specific assets or asset classes, including Real Estate, Private Debt, Infrastructure, Renewable Energy, Aviation, NPL, Tangible Assets, and Microfinance. Used by pension funds, insurance companies, and institutional investors for portfolio risk evaluation and regulatory compliance.
- Structured Finance Ratings Ratings for structured finance instruments including Auto ABS, Consumer ABS, CMBS, RMBS, CLN, and SME CLO, combining qualitative and quantitative analysis with cash flow modeling and Monte Carlo simulations. Used by banks and financial institutions issuing asset-backed securities for capital market refinancing and regulatory compliance.
- Bank Ratings Ratings for banks, covered bonds (Pfandbriefe), and bank capital/unsecured debt instruments, including issuer ratings, covered bond ratings with uplift analysis, and capital instrument ratings. Used by banks and banking groups for funding cost optimization and regulatory capital treatment.
- Corporate Rating Corporate issuer and issue ratings assessing creditworthiness of companies for bonds, promissory note loans, and other capital market instruments. Over 100 companies are rated with total assessed corporate liabilities exceeding EUR 500 billion. Used by corporate issuers seeking capital market access and investor trust.
- ESG Rating Comprehensive qualitative and quantitative sustainability assessment for companies, banks, and financial service providers, extending credit rating expertise into environmental, social, and governance evaluation.
- Fund Rating Independent assessments of closed-end funds investing in alternative asset classes (Private Debt, Private Equity, Venture Capital), combining qualitative fund manager analysis with quantitative risk-adjusted return evaluation. Used by fund managers for marketing and investor due diligence.
- Capital Markets Research Regular market analyses providing background knowledge on latest trends and developments in international capital markets.
- Default Studies Empirical default ratio and probability analyses for German enterprises based on the Creditreform database covering approximately three million active German businesses, using Basel III-compliant default definitions.
- Economic Briefs Regular publications analyzing economic and financial developments across Germany, the Eurozone, and beyond.
- Tailor-made Research and Joint Venture Studies Customized research publications and joint venture studies providing economic and market analyses tailored to specific client needs.
- Sovereign Ratings Credit ratings for sovereign entities and governments, including unsolicited ratings for countries such as Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Italy, Portugal, France, Ireland, and Latvia.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over EUR 500 billion in corporate liabilities assessed through corporate ratings
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Creditreform Rating
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles7 records
Creditreform Rating technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature5 records
Creditreform Rating partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- European DataWarehouse GmbHcoreCreditreform Rating is a shareholder of European DataWarehouse GmbH, which is relevant for the structured finance and ABS rating business. This partnership provides data infrastructure support for rating operations.
- Creditreform GroupcoreCreditreform Rating AG is established under the umbrella of Creditreform Group, one of Europe's leading providers of global business information. The group provides access to extensive databases of German and European companies.
- European Banking Authority (EBA)coreEBA has provided the mapping required to calculate equity capital requirements. Creditreform Rating is approved as ECAI under EU Regulation No. 575/2013.
- European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA)coreEIOPA has approved the use of Creditreform ratings for regulatory purposes by implementing relevant European legislation for supervised insurance providers.
- European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA)coreESMA is the supervisory authority for Creditreform Rating's registration pursuant to EU Regulation No. 1060/2009 since 2011.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Creditreform Rating competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- S&P Global Ratings: Largest global credit rating agency and a direct competitor in corporate, bank, structured finance, and sovereign ratings. ESMA-registered with ECAI status; competes with Creditreform for the same European issuer mandates under CRA III.
- Moody's Ratings: One of the dominant global NRSROs and ESMA-registered ECAI offering corporate, bank, structured finance, and ESG ratings across Europe. Head-to-head competitor for institutional mandates and structured finance transactions that Creditreform also targets.
- Fitch Ratings: Major global rating agency with full ECAI status covering corporates, banks, sovereigns, and structured finance. Competes directly with Creditreform in European bank and covered-bond ratings as well as structured finance.
- DBRS Morningstar: Global credit rating agency with strong European presence, ESMA-registered and ECAI-recognized, covering corporate, financial institutions, structured finance, and sovereigns. Comparable in product scope to Creditreform.
Direct peers
- Scope Ratings: Berlin-based European credit rating agency, ESMA-registered and ECAI-recognized, focused on corporate, bank, sovereign, and structured finance ratings in Europe. Most direct small-agency peer to Creditreform Rating under CRA III smaller-agency framework.
- Euler Hermes Rating (Allianz Trade Rating): European credit rating agency affiliated with Allianz Trade providing corporate credit assessments and ratings, leveraging trade-credit insurance data. Direct competitor in European mid-market and corporate rating segments.
- Assekurata Rating Agentur: Cologne-based German rating agency specializing in insurance company ratings. Overlaps with Creditreform's bank and insurance-related ratings business in the German-speaking market.
Emerging players
- ISS ESG: Major European ESG rating provider serving institutional investors and corporate issuers. Competes directly with Creditreform's ESG Rating product for sustainability assessments used by European financial institutions.
Regional players
- Bürgel Wirtschaftsinformationen: German business information and credit reporting provider affiliated with Creditreform competitor network. Adjacent competitor in German commercial credit data and credit-risk analytics feeding rating inputs.
Others
- European DataWarehouse GmbH: European loan-level data repository for securitization transactions in which Creditreform Rating is a shareholder. Provides underlying data infrastructure supporting Creditreform's ABS and structured-finance rating work.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Creditreform Rating social profiles
Digital presenceCreditreform Rating financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Creditreform Rating leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Creditreform Rating funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Creditreform Rating M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Creditreform Rating
What does Creditreform Rating do?
Creditreform Rating AG is a European credit rating agency that delivers credit risk assessments across multiple asset classes including structured finance, banks, corporates, asset-based finance instruments, ESG, and closed-end funds. Operating as an ESMA-registered ECAI under EU Regulation No. 1060/2009, it provides solicited and unsolicited ratings, pre-ratings, credit estimates, and ongoing surveillance to issuers, banks, institutional investors, and sovereign entities across Europe.
Is Creditreform Rating a public or private company?
Creditreform Rating is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Creditreform Rating founded?
Creditreform Rating was founded in 2000. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Creditreform Rating based?
Creditreform Rating is headquartered in Neuss, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Creditreform Rating make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Credit Rating Services are the primary driver. The others are ESG Ratings, fund Ratings and mandated Analyses and Research.
Who are Creditreform Rating's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are S&P Global Ratings, Moody's Ratings, Fitch Ratings and DBRS Morningstar. Direct peers are Scope Ratings, Euler Hermes Rating (Allianz Trade Rating) and Assekurata Rating Agentur. ISS ESG is listed as an emerging player. Bürgel Wirtschaftsinformationen is listed as a regional player. European DataWarehouse GmbH is listed as an others.
Does Creditreform Rating have an API?
No public API is recorded for Creditreform Rating.
What industry is Creditreform Rating in?
Creditreform Rating's product category is Credit Rating Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSACAGAB, Credit Research, with a secondary code of FSAFAIAI, ESG Data, Ratings & Climate Benchmarks. Its NAICS code is 5223 and its SIC code is 7320.