Tala Enters Vietnam via US$100M Digital Credit Partnership With CIMB

U.S. fintech firm Tala has formally entered the Vietnamese market through a US$100 million digital credit partnership with ASEAN banking group CIMB, marking a major step in its Southeast Asia expansion strategy and bringing fully digital lending to underserved consumers.

The collaboration will see Tala’s mobile-first platform integrated with CIMB’s banking infrastructure and regulatory capabilities to launch a flexible line-of-credit product tailored for everyday Vietnamese users — particularly those who have digital accounts but limited access to formal credit.

In a country where formal lending remains limited despite high digital account adoption, this partnership aims to democratise access to credit by offering fast, affordable loans directly through a smartphone app.

Bridging the Credit Gap in Vietnam

Vietnam has seen rapid growth in digital finance, with many consumers using mobile banking and digital wallets. Yet access to traditional credit remains constrained for many low- and middle-income earners, forcing them to rely on informal and often expensive borrowing alternatives.

Under the new programme, eligible customers will be able to apply for credit limits up to VND 30 million (roughly US$1,150), with each drawdown offering a flexible repayment tenor of up to 61 days. Borrowers can also select repayment dates aligned with their financial plans and repay early without penalties.

By digitising the full credit journey — from application and approval to disbursement and repayment — Tala and CIMB hope to make responsible financing more accessible and convenient.

Combining Technology and Banking Expertise

Tala’s expansion into Vietnam builds on its proprietary technology — including AI-native credit scoring and automated decisioning — which allows loan approvals and fund disbursements within minutes via its mobile application. Meanwhile, CIMB contributes its banking infrastructure, market insight and regulatory support, enabling the digital credit product to operate within local banking law and supervision.

“Tala’s state-of-the-art proprietary technology combined with award-winning customer service makes us uniquely qualified to meet the financial needs of underserved Vietnamese,” said Shivani Siroya, Founder and CEO of Tala.

The partnership exemplifies a model where fintech innovation and traditional banking capabilities complement each other — Tala drives technological agility and customer-centric design, while CIMB ensures compliance, infrastructure reliability and trust in the regulated ecosystem.

Strategic Expansion and Responsible Lending

Vietnam becomes Tala’s eighth market globally and its latest in Asia, building on its established presence in the Philippines, where the fintech has served over 4 million customers and disbursed around US$2 billion across 28 million loans since 2017.

By formalising a local legal presence and partnering with a leading regional bank, Tala signals its intent to develop deeper local operations and invest in long-term financial inclusion efforts. According to local reports, Tala plans to invest several million dollars in technology development and building its local workforce as part of its initial phase.

The move reflects a growing recognition that digital credit — when paired with responsible underwriting and user-friendly design — can empower underserved populations and reduce reliance on informal lending channels.

What This Means for Vietnam’s Fintech Landscape

The Tala-CIMB partnership arrives amid broader momentum in Vietnam’s fintech sector, which has seen rapid digital banking growth, increased regulatory support for digital finance sandboxes and heightened competition to deliver more inclusive financial products.

By tapping into unmet demand for short-term credit, Tala and CIMB aim to extend the benefits of digital financial services beyond payments and savings, showing that lending solutions can also be delivered securely, transparently and at scale.

As fintech innovation continues to accelerate in Vietnam, collaborations like this could play a central role in expanding financial access and reshaping the credit landscape for everyday consumers.

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