Saison Investment Management Private Limited (SIMPL), the cross-border investment arm of Japanese financial giant Credit Saison, has increased its exposure to the Philippine lending market, citing growth potential in fintech-driven consumer and SME credit.
SIMPL has completed three cross-border loan facilities to Philippine fintechs targeting underserved segments: Billease, a leading Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) platform; Country Funders Finance Corporation (Country Funders), a digital-first lender focused on rural communities; and First Circle, a digital SME finance provider.
In a statement, SIMPL said its investments in Billease began in early 2025 with two loans to expand the company’s cash loan and BNPL offerings. A further tranche was deployed in Q4 2025 after Billease demonstrated growing profitability and an expanding loan book. The funding, arranged by Helicap Securities, included participation from institutional credit investors and high-net-worth individuals.
SIMPL also provided an international loan facility to Country Funders to scale its micro-loan operations in rural areas, making it the company’s first international financing.
For First Circle, SIMPL anchored a new capital structure to accommodate multiple institutional lenders. Its initial investment in May 2025 was followed by another tranche towards year-end, supporting the company’s efforts to grow SME lending.
“SIMPL exists to harness the power of finance to support innovative solutions that expand credit access and bridge the financing gap in frontier economies,” said Claudia Rojas, Senior Vice President at SIMPL. “We are proud to support partners like Billease, Country Funders, and First Circle, whose work serves segments traditionally excluded by banks.”
The Philippines faces a significant credit gap, as traditional banks remain reluctant to extend loans beyond commercial industries. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data show that as of September 2025, MSME loans accounted for only 3.7% of total bank lending in the country.
Alongside these investments, SIMPL reported surpassing $100 million in assets under management (AUM).
Beyond the Philippines, the firm has expanded into Indonesia, Mongolia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Cambodia across affordable housing, consumer and SME finance, and microfinance, while also targeting new geographies in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Latin America.
