User:Billiever/sandbox

= BillEase = BillEase is a leading Philippine consumer finance app offering a variety of financial services beyond its core strength: buy now, pay later (BNPL). The app’s BNPL feature provides users with flexible payment options and the ability to make purchases in card-free installments. BillEase goes beyond BNPL, offering a comprehensive suite of financial tools including personal loans, e-wallet top-ups, prepaid load purchases, gaming credits, and bill payments.

Launched in 2017, First Digital Finance Corporation's (FDFC) flagship product, BillEase, serves as a testament to its commitment to financial inclusion for Filipinos and to disrupting the retail credit sector in Southeast Asia. It's a financial technology pioneer dedicated to empowering Filipinos with innovative and accessible financial solutions.

BillEase is now available to more than 10,000 merchant partners. Through a recent partnership with Asia United Bank (AUB) and integration with QR Ph, BillEase has expanded its reach to over 600,00 merchants using QR Ph, further empowering Filipinos to manage their finances effectively.

History
First Digital Finance Corporation was established in 2015. It is regulated by Securities and Exchange Commission as a financing company (CoA No.: 1101) and by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas as an Operator of Payment System (OPSCOR-2021-0007).

Its mission is to drive financial innovation in the Philippines by leveraging digital processes to meet the needs of over 34.3 million Filipinos who remain unbanked.

FDFC's flagship brand was Balikbayad, providing loans for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and seamen. Balikbayad combines traditional credit factors with an online score to reduce paperwork, processing time, and cost.

In 2017, BillEase was launched, initially providing card-free installment plans for online shopping on Lazada. It gained popularity among customers through its instant approval and personal loan, especially for unbanked customers.

Funding

 * January 2022: BillEase raised $11 million in a Series B round led by Burda Principal Investments, along with MDI and KB Invest as key participants. The funds raised in this round were aimed at advancing the company’s growth, and technological capabilities and widening its service offerings.
 * April 2022: In April of the same year, the company secured an additional $20 million in a Debt Financing round from Lendable. These funds were intended to bolster BillEase's loan book and to expand its user base.
 * September 2022: BillEase secured another $20 million in debt financing led by Helicap. This funding round focused on augmenting the company’s lending capital to meet the growing demand for its credit services.
 * April 2024: BillEase secured an investment (US$5 million) from Saison Investment Management Private Limited (SIMPL), the offshore lending arm of Saison International. This investment expanded BillEase's existing Helicap-led credit facility to US$40 million.

Features

 * Lazada - App users can use BillEase to top up their e-wallet on the leading Southeast Asian e-commerce platform, Lazada.
 * Shops - A customizable buy now, pay later payment solution that allows users to make purchases to partner merchants and defer the payment to a later date via card-free installments.
 * Personal Loan - Allows users to borrow a specific amount of money that they commit to paying back within a set period. Interest rates and repayment terms can vary based on the user's credit score and other factors.
 * Mobile Load - Allows users to purchase mobile airtime credits directly from the app and pay later.
 * E-wallet - Enables app users to top up their e-wallet on GCash, Maya, GrabPay, and Coins.ph, ShopeePay, and Bayad.
 * Gaming Credits - For the gaming community, this feature allows users to purchase credits or virtual currency for online games.
 * Cable - Allows app users to settle their cable bills for providers like GPinoy, GSat, Cignal, SatLite, and VIU.
 * Bills - Allows users to pay monthly utility bills such as electricity, water, internet, and more. Through a partnership with Bayad, users can settle their bills via card-free installments.
 * Limit Boost™: allows BillEase users to temporarily increase their purchase limits for transactions at over 10,000 merchant partners. It is perfect for when you’re eyeing a bigger purchase than your current limit allows.
 * QRPh Ready: bring QRPh to our customers, unlocking more opportunities for them to conveniently scan and pay wherever QRPh is accepted. BillEase is now available in more than 600,000 merchants nationwide.

Partners
BillEase collaborates with a network of partners across various industries. In May 2023, BillEase announced a partnership with SM Supermalls. Other partners span across sectors like electronics, home improvement, marketplaces, food & grocery, health & wellness, mom & kids, fashion, automotive, travel, education, and payment gateways.

BillEase launched its integration with QRPh, the national QR code standard. The new feature, enabled through a partnership with Asia United Bank (AUB), will enable BillEase users to have a seamless checkout experience.

Recognitions
In 2023, BillEase was listed as one of the Top 5 Emerging Fintechs in the Philippines, associated with a reported increase in demand for online loans and mobile wallets. In 2024, BillEase received an award from Esquire Philippines as the Editors' Choice for Consumer Finance App.