Closing the credit gap: How GCash and Fuse are helping female MSMEs access fair financing

Editor’s note: This press release is sponsored by GCash and was handled by BrandRap, the sales and marketing arm of Rappler. No member of the news and editorial team participated in the publishing of this piece.

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. Through a landmark P1.75 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 gateway to financing that helps them grow their businesses and bridge 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 the 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 puwedeng magbayad 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 no collectors are 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 3 in 5 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 bridging funding gaps, so that a better life becomes truly achievable for every Filipina. For more information, please visit www.gcash.com. — Rappler.com