The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a US$30 million loan with Fuse Financing Inc. to expand credit access for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the Philippines via a digital lending platform.

Rural segments and women-owned enterprises serve as the primary beneficiaries of the programme. In fact, those facing major hurdles in accessing formal financing are the ones they focus on.

MSMEs are a vital component of the Philippine economy, employing over 60% of the workforce. They are also contributing more than a third of the national gross domestic product.

ADB Philippines Country Director Andrew Jeffries stated,

“Supporting MSMEs to make them part of the broader value chain is key to achieving sustainable and inclusive growth in the country”.

Fuse, which serves as the lending arm of the e-wallet provider GCash, intends to allocate 60% of the loan proceeds to women-owned MSMEs.

The financing targets provinces with high poverty rates, providing non-collateralised loans to farmers, market vendors, and convenience store owners.

Data from 2024 indicates that over 60% of Fuse’s MSME clients were first-time borrowers, highlighting the platform’s role in reaching unserved populations.

Beyond the primary loan, ADB is providing US$125,000 in technical assistance to help develop specialised financial products and digital literacy training for women.

Additionally, the Mastercard Impact Fund has committed US$150,000 as a performance-based incentive to help scale the formal MSME portfolio.

By utilising digital technology, the programme aims to overcome traditional banking hurdles such as restrictive lending terms.

Supporting the wider ADB regional strategy, the partnership promotes financial inclusion and digital finance throughout Asia and the Pacific

Featured image by GCash via LinkedIn.