Billease, one of the Philippines’ leading consumer finance and buy-now-pay-later platforms, has secured a ₱500-million credit facility from the Philippine Bank of Communications (PBCOM), strengthening its local funding network and supporting its consumer lending business.
PBCOM joins Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) and Philippine National Bank (PNB) among the Philippine banks providing funding to Billease, marking another addition to the company’s growing portfolio of local bank facilities this year.
The agreement was signed in Manila by Georg Steiger, co-founder and CEO of Billease, and John Cary Ong, President and CEO of PBCOM.
Making Retail Credit Bankable
Founded in 1939, PBCOM is one of the Philippines’ longest-standing banks and currently operates as a universal bank. Reaching retail borrowers at scale can be challenging for traditional banks, particularly when lending involves millions of small, short-term loans to individuals with limited or no credit histories.
Billease helps bridge this gap by originating, underwriting, and servicing consumer loans, turning a large pool of individual loans into an exposure that banks can evaluate and fund.
Similar to its facilities with RCBC and PNB, the PBCOM credit facility is secured by a pool of Billease consumer loans registered through the Philippines’ Personal Property Security Registry. The loan pool is over-collateralized and regularly maintained with performing loans, giving PBCOM a first-ranking claim over a diversified portfolio rather than exposure to a handful of large borrowers.
Banks and Fintechs Find Common Ground
Billease’s partnerships with established banks provide an additional source of capital for its lending operations. By combining the banks’ funding capacity with the fintech’s origination, underwriting, and collections capabilities, the collaboration aims to expand access to affordable and transparent credit for more Filipinos.
“A few years ago, banks and fintech lenders were mostly seen as competitors. That is changing. Banks have the capital and want retail exposure, and we have the origination, underwriting and collections to deploy it responsibly. What lets a bank say yes is evidence. We now have several years of audited results and loan performance that a bank can test for itself. PBCOM did that work, and we are glad to have them with us,” said Garret Go, Chief Financial Officer of Billease.
John Cary Ong, President and CEO of PBCOM, emphasized the bank’s commitment to supporting underserved consumers through responsible financing.
“For more than eight decades, PBCOM has grown alongside Filipino businesses and households. This facility enables us to extend our support to the unbanked or underbanked Filipino consumers in a prudent and sound manner, by working with a trusted partner with a strong track record and a good reputation. It reflects our commitment to responsible lending and to widening access to finance for more Filipinos,” Ong said.
Strengthening Billease’s Local Funding Base
Local bank financing has become an increasingly important part of Billease’s funding strategy, providing peso-denominated capital to support its peso loan portfolio. Together with equity and international lenders, these facilities help diversify the company’s funding sources and strengthen its relationships with Philippine financial institutions.
Billease also expects its entry into banking through its rural bank to broaden its funding base further over time.
The company’s financial performance provides a foundation for this expansion. In FY2025, Billease increased revenue by more than 80% to ₱8.7 billion, generated approximately ₱1.2 billion in EBITDA, and posted a net profit of ₱782 million—its third consecutive year of profitability. Its gross loan book also grew by more than 77% to approximately ₱12.5 billion.
As of December 31, 2025, Billease reported total equity of approximately ₱6.4 billion against total borrowings of ₱7.1 billion, representing a debt-to-equity ratio of roughly 1:1 and leaving room for additional well-secured local financing.
Supporting Filipino Households and Local Businesses
Billease’s funding strategy also supports the merchants and businesses within its ecosystem. Through Billease Deals, now accessible online at deals.billease.ph, merchants can offer their products to millions of pre-approved Billease customers without platform commissions, listing charges, or payment markups.
The savings allow sellers to provide offers such as 0% down payments and zero-interest installment options, while customers can spread payments over time using their existing Billease credit limits.
With households keeping a closer watch on their budgets and businesses navigating economic pressures, Billease Deals aims to make purchases more manageable for consumers while helping merchants sustain sales.
“Each bank that comes on board makes our funding broader and more resilient. It also says something about where the market is going: established Philippine banks are ready to fund consumer lending when it is done with discipline and transparency. In a tougher economy, that funding goes straight back to Filipino households and the local businesses they buy from. We would welcome more banks into that conversation,” said Georg Steiger, co-founder and CEO of Billease.
