MANILA, Philippines — Billease, one of the Philippines’ leading consumer finance and buy-now-pay-later platforms, today announced that it has injected ₱500 million in fresh capital into its banking arm, the Rural Bank of Sta. Maria – Ilocos Sur (RBSM), with a further ₱500 million committed by year-end, bringing the total infusion to ₱1 billion and the bank’s total capitalization to more than ₱1 billion.
The investment marks the second phase of Billease’s growth strategy, building regulated banking services on top of its digital lending platform, and supports the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) recent move towards digi-centric rural banks.
The capital injection underscores Billease’s commitment to launching banking services. Since acquiring the bank, management has undertaken a comprehensive transformation: establishing proper governance committees, strengthening risk and compliance processes, and modernizing core systems and platforms, all in preparation for the launch of digi-centric banking products.
The capital will be deployed across three priorities:
- Core system modernization. End-to-end transformation of the bank’s infrastructure to enable scalable, digital-first banking operations.
- Capital strengthening and governance. Reinforcing the bank’s capital base and governance framework in line with BSP regulatory standards.
- Product innovation. Accelerating the launch of next-generation digital banking products, expanding beyond consumer credit into savings, deposits, and a fuller suite of inclusive financial services.
Built on a strong, profitable digital lending business
The investment is funded from a position of strength. On an audited consolidated basis, Billease grew FY2025 revenue by more than 80% to ₱9.3 billion and delivered net profit of ₱840 million, its third consecutive year of profitability, a rare milestone in a global sector where many peers remain unprofitable. The consumer loan portfolio grew by more than 75% year-on-year to approximately ₱11.9 billion, and the platform onboards more than 100,000 new customers every month. To date, Billease has disbursed ₱130 billion in loans.
“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.”
“We have built a strong, profitable digital lending business, but our customers need more than credit,” said Georg Steiger, co-founder and CEO of Billease. “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. With the initial ₱500 million complete and the balance committed by year-end, we are fully on track with our roadmap.”
