Abstract: A system and method for providing, in real time via the Internet, the exchange of credit information pertaining to assessing credit worthiness of a business. The exchange is an electronic inquiry, delivery, or reporting of credit information from individuals or companies to be accessed via Internet by a user community. In a preferred embodiment, the system includes a web site that, by using a web browser, allows clients to assess credit worthiness by accessing credit information in real time from a business, or provide credit data about a business by entering credit data in a web browser-supported format. The data is encrypted using means for secure transmission, such as a web browser, and then sent to at least one web application executed by web server software. The web server software coordinates and displays the credit data and allows for easy access by the user community, through a web browser, and displayed in an easily read format.