GCash, Fuse Lending expand lending portfolio with Sakto Loan offers

Financial super app GCash, together with Fuse Lending Inc., introduces GCash Sakto Loans, a nano loan offer that enables GCash users to easily borrow small amounts as ‘pambale,’ as it seeks to provide more Filipinos with access to fair, easy and inclusive loan options without the need for bureaucratic paperwork.

(L-R) Kevin Yu, Head of GLoan; XP Villa, Head of GGives; Tony Isidro, CEO of Fuse Lending; Zo Canaria, Head of Growth Marketing for Fuse; Martha Sazon, CEO of GCash; Anna Gatmaitan, Head of GCredit; Baby Aquino, Chief Product and Strategy Officer of Fuse

A GCash study found that nine out of 10 Filipinos have to borrow money to make ends meet. But with the rigorous loan application process set by formal institutions and banks, more than half resort to borrowing from informal lenders with high interest rates and sometimes abusive collection practices.

“Sakto Loans serves as an expansion of our suite of lending options GLoan, GCredit and GGives, which has provided users with a convenient way to borrow money with just a few taps on their phone. Through access to fair lending, we are able to provide more Filipinos access to borrowing means that truly prioritizes their needs,” said Tony Isidro, CEO of Fuse.

Martha Sazon, CEO of GCash, opens Borrow for Tomorrow, with stories of financial progress spurred by GCash

During the GCash x Fuse: Borrow for Tomorrow, an immersive product showcase held in Maybank Performing Arts Theater last August 30, GCash officially introduced Fuse as its lending arm.

“We at GCash take great pride in the fact that our story and our success are written and rooted on the ground. We are deeply connected to all our customers. We know them, we seek to understand their circumstances, and we are right there with them, providing digital solutions that ease the challenges of daily life,” Martha Sazon, CEO of GCash, underscored.

Tony Isidro, CEO of FUSE Lending, officially introduces the lending arm and its mission of making fair loans accessible

Since 2016, Fuse has disbursed PHP 100 billion in loans and has helped over 3 million Filipinos achieve their dreams. With the inclusion of a nano-loan offer in its extensive lineup of lending products, GCash and Fuse hope to expand its vision of making financial services more accessible to Filipinos, including the unbanked.

“We are committed to perfecting our lending solutions because we believe that Filipinos deserve better loan options,” Isidro noted. “And we are grateful that in the course of helping borrowers nationwide, we have also grown three times more than we did in 2022.”

GCash Sakto Loans for ‘sakto’ needs

GCash Sakto Loans is an extension of GLoan, GCash’s instant cash loan, and GGives, its light and flexible buy now pay later loan. With no additional minimum requirements needed, GCash Sakto Loans serves as an entry-level loan for those who are not yet eligible to borrow larger amounts on the app but are in need of small amounts to supplement their budget.

With a processing fee as low as PHP 6.50, GCash users may borrow amounts as small as PHP 100 up to PHP 1000 at zero interest, which could be paid either after 14 or 30 days.

“Sakto Loans offer an added comprehensiveness to our already extensive product lineup. In instances where we only need a small amount to get by, this nano-loan feature will save us the time and energy of having to borrow from family and friends or even informal lenders,” Isidro emphasized.

Inclusivity through fair and easy loans

With its borrowing solutions, GCash hopes to level the playing field and provide equal opportunities for every Filipino. Its vision of bringing financial progress to everyone can be seen in the 85% of GCash users who come from C2DE or lower socio-economic classes, the 55% who are female, the 60% who come from the youth ages 19-35 years old and the 70% who are based outside Metro Manila.

While there is still a stigma when it comes to loans, GCash hopes to highlight that borrowing money is one way of bringing Filipinos closer to their goals.

"We're reimagining lending to ensure that it is not only hassle-free and convenient, but is also driven by the individual circumstances of our user base. By putting their stories at our core, we hope to break down barriers so that Filipinos can access the loans that they need to support financial progress,” Sazon added.

Users may access GGives, GLoan and GCredit through the GCash dashboard or find it under “Borrow.” No GCash yet? Download the GCash App on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or Huawei App Gallery. Kaya mo, i-GCash mo!