Digital lending platform Tala aims to increase its Philippine customer base by 38 percent, targeting 5 million informed borrowers by the end of 2026 from the current 3.6 million, general-manager Moritz Gastl said in a press briefing Wednesday.
“By the end of next year, I would like five million [Filipino customers] to be onboarded,” Gastl said during the official release of Tala’s latest Customer Barometer Report.
The report provided insights into how Filipino customers are coping with rising inflation and how digital financial services are helping bridge critical economic gaps.
The report revealed that 92 percent of Tala customers in the Philippines feel financial stress, slightly above the global average of 90 percent, with the rising cost of living and medical emergencies cited as the most common challenges.
It also noted that many Filipinos are resorting to strategies such a generating additional income at 52 percent, cutting back on expenses at 38 percent and taking out loans from digital lenders, at 27 percent.
Tala, in turn, has played a key role in helping customers navigate financial pressures, with 42 percent of borrowers saying the platform enabled them to pay their bills on time, 29 percent reporting it helped them manage daily expenses, and 28 percent saying it allowed them to prepare for unexpected costs.
Findings from Tala’s Global Impact Report, conducted by insights partner 60 Decibels (60dB), showed that the platform is making measurable improvements in its borrowers’ financial resilience and overall quality of life.
A survey of 281 Filipino customers, mostly from underserved sectors, underscored Tala’s strong impact on financial wellbeing where 91 percent of respondents said their quality of life and ability to manage finances improved, while 94 percent reported reduced financial stress and 82 percent said they could easily raise P11,746 for an emergency.
“Tala’s mission does not stop at lending. It creates meaningful, long-term financial change for our users,” Gastl said.
Tala’s impact is especially notable among borrowers who used loans for business, with 9 in 10 reporting increased earnings and improved stability, along with outcomes like business expansion at 41 percent and greater confidence 33 percent.
Even among non-business borrowers, Tala loans were commonly used to cover essential needs such emergency expenses at 55 percent, household bills at 52 percent, education at 31 percent, and healthcare at 22 percent of respondents, according to the survey.
