Digital lender Billease is accelerating its expansion beyond consumer credit, announcing a ₱500 million capital injection into its banking arm, the Rural Bank of Sta. Maria–Ilocos Sur (RBSM), with another ₱500 million committed before the end of 2026.
The investment will bring the bank’s total capitalization to more than ₱1 billion, marking the second phase of Billease’s growth strategy as it builds regulated banking services on top of its digital lending platform.
The move also aligns with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) push to strengthen and modernize digi-centric rural banks.
Building the Foundation for Digital Banking
Since acquiring RBSM, Billease has been undertaking a comprehensive transformation of the bank’s operations, including:
- Establishing governance committees
- Strengthening risk and compliance processes
- Modernizing core systems and platforms
- Preparing for the launch of digital banking products
The fresh capital will be deployed across three key priorities:
Core System Modernization
The bank will undergo an end-to-end transformation of its infrastructure to enable scalable, digital-first banking operations.
Capital Strengthening and Governance
The investment will reinforce the bank’s capital base and governance framework in line with BSP regulatory standards.
Product Innovation
Billease plans to expand beyond consumer lending by introducing digital banking products, including:
- Savings accounts
- Deposit products
- Additional inclusive financial services
Built on a Profitable Lending Business
The investment comes from a position of financial strength.
According to audited consolidated results, Billease recorded:
- More than 80% revenue growth in FY2025, reaching ₱9.3 billion
- Net profit of ₱840 million, marking its third consecutive year of profitability
- Consumer loan portfolio growth of over 75% year-on-year to approximately ₱11.9 billion
- More than 100,000 new customers onboarded every month
- Total loan disbursements of ₱130 billion to date
These figures make Billease one of the few profitable players in the global buy-now-pay-later and digital lending sector.
Preparing for Banking Services Launch
“We are deeply encouraged by this strong vote of confidence at a pivotal moment in our transformation,” said Dennis Valdes, President and CEO of the bank.
“We are in the midst of a comprehensive upgrade of our core systems as we prepare to launch our banking services. This capital provides the foundation to accelerate the rollout of new products that build on the Billease group’s promise of fast, safe, and reliable financial access for millions more Filipinos,” he added.
Meanwhile, Georg Steiger, co-founder and CEO of Billease, emphasized that the company’s customers increasingly need more than just access to credit.
“We have built a strong, profitable digital lending business, but our customers need more than credit,” Steiger said.
“The bank gives us the foundation to serve them better, with savings, deposits, and a fuller set of everyday financial services. We are investing deliberately in governance, systems, and processes because a strong foundation is what allows us to scale responsibly.”
He added that with the initial ₱500 million infusion completed and the remaining capital already committed, the company remains on track with its banking roadmap.
Expanding Financial Inclusion
Founded in 2017 and operated by First Digital Finance Corporation (Billease), Billease has positioned itself as one of the Philippines’ leading consumer finance and buy-now-pay-later platforms.
The company aims to expand access to affordable and responsible financial services in one of Southeast Asia’s most underbanked markets, where only about half of Filipino adults had a financial account in 2024, according to World Bank data.
Backed by investors including The Rise Fund by TPG, Burda Principal Investments, and Seawood, Billease’s latest investment signals its ambition to evolve from a lending platform into a broader digital financial services provider for millions of Filipinos.
