Billease infuses P500-M capital into banking arm

Consumer finance platform Billease has injected ₱500 million in fresh capital into its banking arm, the Rural Bank of Sta. Maria in Ilocos Sur, as part of a broader push to strengthen digital banking capabilities, governance, and product innovation.

The company said the investment will support an end-to-end upgrade of the bank’s core systems, enabling a more scalable and digital-first banking infrastructure designed to expand access to financial services.

Billease added that the funding will also reinforce the bank’s capital base and governance framework in line with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) regulatory standards, while accelerating the rollout of new digital financial products.

An additional ₱500 million capital infusion is planned by the end of the year, which will bring the bank’s total capitalization to more than ₱1 billion.

“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,” said Rural Bank of Sta. Maria (Ilocos Sur) President and CEO Dennis Valdes.

Billease reported strong financial performance in 2025, with revenue rising over 80 percent to ₱9.3 billion and net profit reaching ₱840 million.

Its consumer loan portfolio expanded by 75 percent to ₱11.9 billion, while the platform continues to onboard more than 100,000 new customers monthly. To date, total loan disbursements have reached ₱130 billion.

Billease CEO Georg Steiger said the company is expanding beyond digital lending into broader financial services, including savings and deposit products.

He emphasized that strengthening governance, systems, and internal processes is key to sustaining responsible growth.

“We are investing deliberately in governance, systems, and processes because a strong foundation is what allows us to scale responsibly. With the initial ₱500 million complete and the balance committed by year-end, we are fully on track with our roadmap,” Steiger said.