Over the last twelve months, Tala Philippines has planted the seed of hope for the Global Majority with a belief that every small act of cultivation holds the promise of significant change. And true enough, 2025 has seen success and sustained growth for Tala as it actively diversified the tools of empowerment beyond just credit, bringing financial access closer to many Filipinos in need.
This year, Tala Philippines has reached 4.5 million customers nationwide, a record-breaking number for its expanding customer base. This, coupled with over 28 million total disbursed loans amounting to Php 137 billion, reflects Filipinos’ increasing trust in Tala as their financial partner for long-term growth. It also reaffirms its commitment to advancing financial inclusion for the underbanked population.
Moving beyond loan access, the company also launched its new campaign, TALAverse: Patas Na Ang Laban!, which aims to actively promote fairness and equal access to financial services for all. Through this narrative, it shows how Tala levels the playing field by providing flexible and convenient online credit that ensures a foundation and opportunity to grow, succeed, and rise above life’s challenges.
As the highlight of the event, Tala introduced award-winning actress, mom, and entrepreneur Judy Ann Santos as its very first brand ambassador. Since entering the Philippines in 2017, Tala has finally chosen the face that best embodies its promise to its customers: that Tala can be Filipinos’ “kasangga sa laban ng buhay” in a world where financial empowerment is a superpower, and that the everyday Filipinos (mothers, workers, and dreamers) get to be the heroes in their own life transformations.
Tala also took this year to further boost its social media engagement with a fresh digital initiative of a TikTok game filter within the TALAverse campaign. This interactive branded mission was developed in collaboration with influencers and offered users a chance to win raffle prizes by simply using the filter, uploading the video, and following the entry guidelines.
As part of expanding its reach, Tala also brought its flagship financial literacy program, TALAkayan with Salve Ibañez, from in-person workshops into the digital space. These online episodes are released every Saturday across Tala Philippines’ official Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok pages, highlighting the company’s efforts to help Filipinos navigate their financial journeys.
This strengthened commitment to building a financially informed and empowered Philippines did not go unnoticed, as it garnered distinction from award-giving bodies, gaining momentum and recognition locally and in Asia.
Notably, Tala’s workshop series, TALAkayan with Salve Ibañez, was presented with a Bronze Stevie® Award at the Asia Pacific Stevie® Awards held in Seoul, South Korea, last May for the Innovation in Community Relations or Public Service Communications category. In the same year, TALAkayan was also given an Excellence Award and got recognition in the Community Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility category at the Philippine Quill Awards.
These accolades demonstrate that true innovation lies in more than just high-tech solutions, and even something as simple as engaging in conversations on the realities of the Global Majority can be instrumental in moving the nation closer to its financial inclusion goals.
At the same time, the company also supported different anti-fraud efforts that foster stakeholder collaboration, such as the Anti-Fraud Symposium of the Consumer Lending Association of the Philippines, Inc. (CLAP) and the Manila Tech Summit that talked about the future of finance and AI, believing that these events help set industry benchmarks for responsible lending and consumer protection.
2025 is also the year that Tala earned its Great Place To Work certification and actively engaged in grassroots work with its CSR partnership with the non-profit organization Project PEARLS. Through this outreach, Tala was able to support impoverished communities in Tondo, Manila, by sponsoring the education of 20 scholars and raising their awareness on the importance of financial literacy.
Berla, a Tala user from Baseco, Manila, was also among the many individuals whose lives have been transformed by Tala’s support. She was able to manage a sari-sari store using her Tala loan as capital and supplements her income by transporting goods across the lake via boat. She shared how it was hard for her to land a job; instead, she decided to make her own opportunity by starting her own business—a shining example of how Tala is able to change many Filipinos’ lives for the better.
“It’s truly been a year of growth for Tala Philippines and our customers. Continuing our mission of empowering the Global Majority and bridging gaps in financial inclusion through increased access to credit, we were able to achieve significant milestones in 2025,” said Moritz Gastl, Tala Philippines General Manager. “We plan to carry that momentum into the upcoming year by reaching out to more customers beyond Metro Manila and bringing our financial services closer to them. We’re also continuing our push for better financial literacy through our TALAkayan workshop and weekly digital series. Lastly, we are looking to expand our product offering, making them more tailored and personalized to the needs of our customers.”
Tala remains dedicated to unlocking the potential of the Global Majority, placing a strong focus on empowering financial independence and improving their overall quality of life.