Tala Philippines said real-time data, machine learning, and embedded finance are helping expand access to credit for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as the company shared its lending insights during Money20/20 Asia in Bangkok, Thailand.
Speaking at a panel discussion titled “Winning the SME Lending Market with Real-Time Data,” Tala Philippines General Manager Moritz Gastl discussed how alternative data and modern financial infrastructure are reshaping the way lenders assess risk and serve small business owners.
IMAGE CREDIT: Tala
The discussion focused on how real-time infrastructure, alternative data sources, and embedded finance models are helping financial institutions improve credit decision-making, personalize loan offers, and widen access to financing for underserved borrowers.
Tala sees growing demand from microentrepreneurs
According to Tala, around a quarter of its 4.5 million customers in the Philippines use their loans for business-related purposes. The company added that nine out of 10 of these borrowers reported an improved business outlook after receiving financing through the platform.
“While our foundation is built on unsecured loans, we’ve recognized that many of our customers are also micro-entrepreneurs who are using these funds for their businesses as working capital,” Gastl said.
Tala attributed the speed and quality of its underwriting process to machine learning models trained on billions of data points collected over 12 years of customer relationships across multiple markets.
The company said these insights help enhance risk assessment and enable more personalized credit offerings.
Tala Philippines General Manager Moritz Gastl joins industry leaders at Money 20/20 Asia to discuss how lenders are harnessing real-time data and embedded finance to expand access to credit and empower the Philippines’ fast-growing MSME sector.
Gastl also noted that Tala is expanding its role in embedded finance by providing lending infrastructure and expertise to partners, allowing financial services to be integrated into other digital platforms and ecosystems.
“The success stories of our customers are a testament to the powerful impact of expanding access to credit for MSMEs. Oftentimes, micro-entrepreneurs are excluded from the formal financial ecosystem due to lack of collateral and limited credit history,” Gastl said.
“We want to continue being part of their journeys by being their partner in growing their business and achieving their goals,” he added.
Money20/20 Asia brought together fintech, payments, and financial services leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region to discuss emerging trends and innovations shaping the future of financial services.
