There are 8 independent lending companies in the Philippines that offer financing options to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). While it can be challenging for SMEs to secure funding from banks, independent lending companies can offer more affordable financing options with less rigorous application processes and shorter processing times. This is important given that loans to MSMEs in the Philippines fell below the 10% mandated threshold for banks in 2022, despite the fact that 99.58% of businesses in the country were MSMEs in 2021.
Banks often require a lot of documentation and collateral, especially for loan amounts exceeding ₱2 million for first-time SME borrowers. In contrast, independent lending companies can process loans in about 3-5 days with less documentation and some offer non-collateral business loans with more affordable interest rates.
However, it’s important to do your due diligence and ensure that the lending company you choose is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and that you communicate only with their official channels.
1. First Circle
One of the official financing partners of DTI on this list is First Circle, a lending company that has been providing convenient, flexible, and affordable financial services to SMEs since 2016. They also offer free growth tools such as PhilGEPS Project Finder.
First Circle’s main business loan product is the Revolving Credit Line, which offers SMEs a credit line of up to ₱5 million at a low interest rate of 1.39% per month. This is currently the lowest non-collateral interest rate available in the market.
Moreover, if you have received a competing offer from a bank or another legitimate lending company, First Circle has a Best Price Guarantee initiative that promises to beat their pricing by 10%.
2. SeekCap
SeekCap, an online lending platform launched in 2019, offers SME loans through various SEC-registered lending companies. This marketplace is a product of Unionbank of the Philippines and is a convenient option for first-time borrowers who may be overwhelmed by the different loan offers available to SMEs.
Business loans on SeekCap range from ₱5,000 to ₱20 million, with interest rates starting at 2-3% per month. While some loans can be approved in as fast as 1 day, others may take up to 10 days. SeekCap also provides a loan calculator to estimate payments, but it doesn’t include any fees or charges associated with the loan.
However, SeekCap’s offers may not be the most affordable in the market, and negative reviews on their social media page complain about long disbursement processes and the lack of a dedicated customer hotline or loan agent to assist clients.
3. Esquire Financing
Esquire Financing, which was launched in 2011, offers no-collateral business loans for SMEs that may not have large assets accepted as collateral by regular banking loans. Their business loan offers start at 3.5% interest rate per month, with a 6% one-time processing fee, according to SeekCap’s page.
Esquire Financing creates loan offers based on factors such as cash flow analysis of your SME. Processing your application will take around 7 working days, and once approved, Esquire Financing can grant you up to ₱10 million in funds.
4. Radiowealth Finance
Radiowealth Finance (RFC Loan) has a long history dating back to 1964, with appliance financing being one of their first services. They officially became a financing company in 1996, offering business loans, personal loans, and financing loans.
The RFC Loan team’s mission is to cater to the underserved credit market, particularly SMEs. You can avail of an RFC loan for SMEs on their website, with loans starting at 4% interest rate per month, and up to ₱5 million can be borrowed based on their SeekCap listing.
5. CARD SME Bank
CARD SME Bank is a financing company in the Philippines that started as the Rural Bank of Sto. Tomas (Batangas) in 2007, and has since become a popular choice among business owners. It operates as a thrift bank with branches mostly located in the CALABARZON region.
CARD SME Bank provides term loans and revolving credit line products for microenterprises, with loanable amounts starting at PHP 100,000. Their AgriBusiness Loan is specifically designed for rural sector producers, giving them an advantage over other lending companies in this list.
6. Welcome Finance Inc.
Established in 2014, Welcome Finance Inc. is a subsidiary of South Korea’s Welcome Creditline Corporation. They provide non-collateral business loans for SMEs, offering up to ₱2 million at interest rates ranging from 1.9% to 3%.
In addition to business loans, Welcome Finance Inc. also offers personal loans, salary loans, and auto loans. They currently have 9 branches and online services available.
7. Zenith Capital
Zenith Capital is a family-oriented financing company that provides both non-collateral and collateral business loans, with the highest loan amount among the financing companies listed here, up to ₱100 million.
Zenith Capital has been in operation since 2017 and offers business loan interest rates starting at 1.5% per month. You can apply for their loans either online or in-person at their offices located in BGC, Taguig.
8. Right Choice Finance
Established in 2016, Right Choice Finance is a subsidiary of Singapore’s Right Choice Capital Pte. Ltd. It has branches in Metro Manila, Luzon, and Cebu and is listed on SeekCap.
Right Choice Finance offers non-collateral and collateral loans, with loanable amounts up to ₱3 million and interest rates ranging from 1.5 to 3.5% per month.
In addition to loans, Right Choice Finance provides bundled partner products such as HRBuddy software to help streamline businesses’ HR and payroll processes.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for more affordable funding options to grow your business, this list of financing companies in the Philippines can help. Choosing an independent lending company can also save you from the difficult requirements and long processing times that often come with traditional banking institutions.
It’s important to compare your options and thoroughly evaluate loan agreements before choosing an SME loan provider. This way, you can make sure you’re getting the best possible loan for your business needs.
