Ant International, IFC, GCash Pioneer First-of-its-kind Sustainability Impact Scorecard to Expand MSME Access to Sustainable Financing

Furthering its mission of driving digital financial inclusion, Ant International, International Finance Corp. (IFC), and GCash are developing a Sustainability Impact Scorecard that will make it easier for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to track their environmental and social impact, easily adopt sustainability practices in business operations, and align with global standards.

 

The Scorecard provides Filipino MSMEs with trusted, clear, and accessible pathways to measure sustainability performance, strengthen credibility, and unlock opportunities aligned with global environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. By leveraging the GCash ecosystem and metrics tailored to the Philippine market, the Scorecard aims to empower local MSMEs with relevant, simple insights to help transform businesses.

 

In the Philippines, MSMEs account for 99.6% of businesses and employ over two-thirds of the workforce, yet limited access to financing remains a key challenge. The Scorecard, which serves as a benchmark for MSMEs, will help businesses demonstrate their sustainability practices and unlock access to sustainable financing to support growth.

 

Aside from tracking sustainability performance, the Scorecard also provides MSMEs with a way to build the credibility needed to engage with investors and lenders on sustainability performance.

 

“For MSMEs, this is a game-changer. It provides visibility into their environmental and social impact and credibility that can attract green capital and partnerships,” said GCash group head for new businesses Winsley Bangit.

 

“Crucially, MSMEs’ growing social impact cannot be overlooked. Through our collaboration with GCash and IFC, we are making technologies such as AI more accessible to local MSMEs, empowering them to participate in the next wave of sustainable digital transformation. This scorecard serves as a vital tool for future innovation, reinforcing that true environmental sustainability integrates social and economic impact, and it must never be sidelined,” said Carrie Suen, vice president and head of global affairs and strategic development at Ant International.

 

“MSMEs play a critical role across markets. By equipping them with the right tools, we can strengthen resilience, support adaptation, and enable sustainable growth at scale,” Christina Ongoma, IFC East Asia and the Pacific Regional Advisory manager for the Financial Institutions Group, added.

 

Shaping a world-class, competitive & sustainable future for Filipino MSMEs

 

The partnership builds on discussions at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, and Ant International’s Programme Sirius, launched in 2024 to support MSMEs in taking the first step toward sustainability. With GCash as a pilot partner, the initiative aims to translate global sustainability commitments into practical, on-ground digital solutions for underserved communities in the Philippines.

 

The Scorecard pilot will roll out in phases, starting with ecosystem assessments, stakeholder engagement, and the development of the sustainability impact scorecard, followed by validation and field testing. Learnings from the pilot will inform potential scaling across the Asia-Pacific region.

 

This initiative underscores the power of collaboration in expanding MSMEs access to practical, data-driven ESG tools, enabling small businesses to integrate sustainability into everyday operations, scale responsibly, and connect with solutions previously deemed out of reach. This reflects the shared commitment of Ant International, IFC, and GCash to advance sustainable finance solutions and build a more inclusive digital economy.

 

For more information, please visit www.gcash.com.

Closing the Credit Gap: How GCash, Fuse are Helping Women MSMEs Access Fair and Credible Financing

With the celebration of Women’s Month, Fuse Financing, Inc.—the lending arm of GCash— reaffirms its commitment to championing women by making credit more accessible and dignified.  Through a landmark Php 1.75 billion credit facility from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Fuse’s digital lending product GLoan,  Fuse is breaking long-standing barriers in traditional banking, providing Filipinos with a vital gateway to financing that helps keep their stores stocked, grow businesses, and bridge critical funding gaps for their families.

 

One of the borrowers is Juvy Camante, a 55-year-old store owner from Pateros. In the past, she avoided applying for loans because of complicated paperwork and strict requirements from traditional lenders. The simple application process of GLoan helped Camante overcome this barrier, providing her with confidence to use credit to support her business.

 

“Dati natatakot ako mangutang dahil sa dami ng requirements at baka hindi makabayad, pero sa GLoan, ID lang ang kailangan. Dahil dito, lumago ang inventory ng tindahan ko at talagang nakakatulong ito sa pamilya namin,” Camante shared. ("I used to be afraid to borrow because of the many requirements and the risk of not being able to pay, but with GLoan, all I need is an ID. Because of this, my store’s inventory has grown, and it has really helped my family.)

 

For Angelyn Avila, a store owner from Mandaluyong, managing repayments while running both a household and a small business was a major concern. Informal lending often meant dealing with collectors and rigid repayment schedules that added pressure to her daily routine. Digital repayments through GCash offered Avila a dignified solution, allowing her to pay at her own pace or through automatic deductions from her digital wallet.

 

“Mas gusto ko ang GLoan dahil walang kolektor na kumakatok at pwedeng mag-bayad anytime sa app. Malaking tulong ito para tuloy-tuloy ang ikot ng puhunan sa aking sari-sari store kahit mahirap ang buhay ngayon,” Avila said. (I prefer GLoan because there are no collectors knocking on my door, and I can make payments anytime through the app. This is a big help in keeping the capital turnover going in my sari-sari store, even though life is tough right now).

 

Beyond supporting businesses, access to digital credit is helping families meet important needs. Parañaque resident Fevelyn Bellen shared how the platform helped her support her child’s studies, “Ginamit ko ang GLoan para sa allowance at school needs ng anak ko sa probinsya. Dahil mabilis ang approval, agad kong naipapadala ang pera sa kanya para hindi siya magkulang sa pag-aaral.” (I used GLoan for my child’s allowance and school needs in the province. Because the approval is fast, I can send the money to them immediately so they won’t fall short in their studies.)

 

Bridging the credit gap

 

Women continue to play a major role in the local economy. Data shows they accounted for 62% of new business registrations in 2020, yet around 72% still faced challenges in securing formal credit due to strict requirements and collateral demands. Many small entrepreneurs, especially those running sari-sari stores or home-based businesses, often turn to informal lenders with high interest rates.

 

To address this gap, Fuse is extending credit access directly to communities through GScore, its tech-enabled underwriting which analyzes users’ financial behavior within the GCash app to determine eligibility. At a broader level, this shift is transforming how credit is extended to underserved sectors by replacing traditional bank requirements and physical collateral with  digital records and responsible usage within the platform.

 

“By removing the barrier of physical collateral and replacing it with digital trust, we are ensuring that every Filipina entrepreneur has the capital she needs to thrive in a digital economy,” said Baby Aquino, chief product officer and strategy head at Fuse Financing Inc.

 

As of the end of 2025, Fuse has disbursed P362 billion in loans, with three in five borrowers being women—a clear indicator of how digital finance is opening new opportunities for Filipinas to participate in the formal economy.

 

Fuse continues to champion women by making credit more accessible, helping them grow their businesses or bridge funding gaps so that a better life becomes truly achievable for every Filipina.

 

For more information, please visit www.gcash.com.

GLoan Makes Borrowing Worry-Free with Free Health and Loan Insurance, Giving Borrowers Extra Protection

Fuse Financing Inc. (Fuse), the lending arm of GCash, is now giving free insurance coverage to GLoan borrowers with GLoan Protect. Available for a limited time, this newest feature provides borrowers with free loan and health insurance for every GLoan disbursement worth a minimum of P500, underwritten by Oona Insurance Corporation. This free insurance will waive pending loan balance in case of sudden customer demise or accident-related permanent disability, and provide resources to recover from medical emergencies.

Life and health emergencies can strike unexpectedly. For many Filipinos, sudden medical expenses or unexpected urgent costs can quickly lead to financial distress. Hospitalization and medical costs often result in heavy debt, while the lack of insurance leaves families with limited options to recover financially. 

“Oftentimes, Filipinos don’t think of insurance until it’s too late,” said Tony Isidro, president and CEO of Fuse Financing Inc., the lending arm of GCash. “With the free insurance, we’re making sure that every time someone gets a GLoan, they also get a safety net. It’s our way of helping users feel more secure and protected without them having to spend extra.”

By integrating protection into GLoan, GCash—through Fuse and GInsure, the digital insurance platform of GCash with inclusive insurance products across 11 categories including health, life, accident, travel, vehicle, and more —offers borrowers added peace of mind and a safety net against life’s uncertainties.

Under GLoan Protect, the free health insurance covers a hospitalization allowance given to all eligible users who avail of a GLoan worth a minimum amount of P500 moving forward. Users can claim a minimum of P500 or up to 10% of the total loan value when they get confined in the hospital for a minimum stay of 3 days. 

The loan insurance benefit is automatically activated once a customer receives their loan proceeds from GLoan, and coverage remains constant and valid until the end of the loan term even when the customer fully pays off their loan earlier than the loan’s due date. In case of customer demise or accident-related permanent disability, beneficiaries will receive the remaining loan value, and the remaining balance will be waived and settled. 

The policy will automatically appear in the GInsure dashboard, making the process simple and familiar for borrowers. Claims can be filed through the same steps used for other GInsure products. 

“We see this synergy between Fuse and GInsure as part of our mission to reimagine what finance can do for every Filipino,” said Winsley Bangit, group head of new businesses at Mynt, the parent company of GCash. “By combining credit and insurance on a single service, we’re pushing the boundaries of digital innovation to give Filipinos not just access to funding, but also the protection they deserve. It’s another step toward building a more inclusive and resilient financial ecosystem.”

GCash made this initiative possible in partnership with Oona Insurance Corporation, a wholly-owned company by Oona Philippines Holdings Corporation (OPHC), actively expanding into health and digital-first solutions that meet the needs of today’s consumers. Through this partnership, GCash is bringing essential protection to more Filipinos by integrating coverage directly into its widely used digital services. 

"Our mission at Oona is to make protection part of everyday life, not something out of reach. Partnering with Fuse and GCash shows how insurance can be embedded seamlessly into the financial services people already use, from borrowing to everyday transactions. By making coverage automatic and effortless, we take an important step toward closing the protection gap and ensuring more Filipinos have the security to move forward with confidence.” said Abhishek Bhatia, founder and CEO of Oona Insurance.

This added benefit strengthens GLoan’s role as more than just a lending option. It becomes a tool that provides quick access to funds and supports Filipinos in building resilience against emergencies. 

“This is about giving our users peace of mind,” Isidro said. “When someone takes out a loan, they’re usually thinking about solving an immediate need. By adding free insurance, we’re also helping them prepare for the unexpected. It’s a small change that can make a big difference in protecting families from unforeseen circumstances,” Isidro concluded. 

Through this enhanced offering, GCash continues to push its mission of financial inclusion — ensuring more Filipinos have access to services that can improve their financial security in both the short and long term.

GLoan Protect is now available to new GLoan transactions for a limited time starting on January 16 until March 31, 2026. Borrowers should be Filipino citizens, aged 21-65, fully-verified GCash users with a minimum loan approved and disbursed amount of PHP 500, and at least one month loan tenor. 

For more information about GLoan and its free insurance benefit, please visit https://help.gcash.com.