Philippines-based consumer finance platform Billease said its banking arm, formerly Rural Bank of Sta. Maria (Ilocos Sur), has been renamed Billease Bank, Inc. (A Rural Bank) and has elected former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Eduardo G. Bobier as an independent director, subject to BSP confirmation.
The company said the appointment comes as it integrates the bank more closely with the broader Billease ecosystem and prepares to expand beyond consumer credit into savings and deposit products. TNGlobal previously reported on Billease’s participation in LenderLink’s credit intelligence network, part of its broader effort to strengthen data-driven lending and credit access in the Philippines.
Banking arm moves under Billease brand
Billease said bringing the rural bank under the Billease name is intended to support a more unified set of financial services spanning credit, savings and deposits. The bank is preparing a new suite of products that the company said will be integrated with the Billease app.
The bank was founded in 1969 and was acquired by Billease’s parent company as part of its expansion from consumer finance into regulated banking. Since the acquisition, Billease said the institution has been undergoing changes to governance, risk and compliance processes and its core banking systems.
The company said it is targeting more than PHP1 billion in capitalization for the bank by the end of 2026. That target and the planned product expansion are company statements and remain subject to applicable banking approvals and implementation timelines.
Former central banker joins board
Bobier most recently served as Deputy Governor of the BSP’s Corporate Services Sector, where he oversaw control, budget and administrative functions. His earlier roles included Assistant Governor and Managing Director of the Comptrollership Sub-sector, as well as senior positions in the BSP Treasury Department.
Billease Bank said Bobier’s background in central banking, treasury operations and institutional oversight is expected to support the board’s governance and risk functions as the bank expands.
His election as an independent director remains subject to confirmation by the BSP, according to the company.
From lending platform to broader banking services
Billease, founded in 2017 and operated by First Digital Finance Corporation, is known primarily for consumer finance and buy-now-pay-later services. The addition of deposit and savings products through its banking arm would broaden the relationship the company can maintain with customers beyond credit alone.
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder Georg Steiger said the unified brand is intended to support a more complete set of financial services for underbanked consumers. Billease Bank President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Valdes said the bank is also strengthening governance as it prepares for growth.
The development reflects a wider trend among Southeast Asian fintech companies toward combining digital distribution, proprietary underwriting and regulated financial infrastructure. For Billease, the immediate next steps will depend on the rollout of the bank’s new products, regulatory approvals and how effectively those services are integrated into the existing app and customer base.
PH’s BNPL firm Billease joins LenderLink’s Credit Intelligence Network