Blab Business
Jia Partners with Netbank to Launch AI-Powered SME Lending Platform in the Philippines
In a move that could reshape the Philippines’ small‑business lending landscape, Jia— the fintech that has already disbursed more than US$20 million in SME loans since 2022— announced a partnership with Netbank, a bank regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. The deal makes Netbank the first institution to deploy Jia’s AI underwriting engine, Ossicone, and its new business‑banking product, Jia Accounts.
Under the agreement, Netbank will provide a US$2 million credit facility that Jia will use to fund up to 500 SME loans over the next 12 months. The partnership gives the bank a ready‑made lending platform that can accelerate access to working‑capital for retailers, distributors and other inventory‑heavy firms that traditional lenders often overlook.
Since its launch, Jia has maintained a non‑performing loan rate below 3 % and zero write‑offs— a sharp contrast to the industry average of 10‑15 %. The platform’s focus on businesses with proven order flow and repayment history has helped it build a track record that banks can trust.
Ossicone is Jia’s proprietary AI underwriting engine. The system scans documents that reflect how Philippine SMEs operate—purchase orders, supplier invoices and delivery receipts— and returns a credit decision in under 30 minutes with 97 % accuracy. Trained over three years on Jia’s own loan book, Ossicone’s models are continually refined by real‑time cash‑flow data fed through Jia Accounts, allowing the engine to improve as it processes more loans.
SMEs in emerging markets face an estimated US$8 trillion credit gap that legacy banks cannot close. Jia is offering its infrastructure to banks, cooperatives and other lending companies through an API and a white‑label product, allowing them to deploy accounts, underwriting and capital connectivity under their own brand without rebuilding core systems. Netbank is the first institution to use the platform, validating the model that Jia intends to roll out regionally.
"Every emerging market has thousands of businesses growing fast, paying on time, and waiting for a bank that can see them clearly," Jia CEO Zach Marks said in the press release. Jia Philippines President Krizanne Ty added, "There is no public dataset for Philippine SME financial documents. Every loan has sharpened Ossicone’s accuracy, and now that businesses bank with Jia, their live cash‑flow feeds directly into the models—making them better for every SME on our book and every institution building on our platform."
The partnership positions Jia as a platform provider rather than a sole lender, potentially expanding its reach across Southeast Asia and other emerging markets. The move comes amid a broader trend of fintechs partnering with regulated banks to offer embedded banking services.
Jia’s infrastructure is now available to other financial institutions through the partners@jia.xyz email. The company plans to expand its API‑based offering to additional banks and cooperatives in the region. No further financial terms or regulatory approvals have been disclosed beyond the initial credit facility.
The collaboration marks a milestone for Jia, transitioning from a lender to a platform provider and providing a new channel for Philippine SMEs to access working capital with a proven low‑risk underwriting model. The next phase will involve scaling the platform to other institutions and monitoring loan performance under the new model.
Under the agreement, Netbank will provide a US$2 million credit facility that Jia will use to fund up to 500 SME loans over the next 12 months. The partnership gives the bank a ready‑made lending platform that can accelerate access to working‑capital for retailers, distributors and other inventory‑heavy firms that traditional lenders often overlook.
Since its launch, Jia has maintained a non‑performing loan rate below 3 % and zero write‑offs— a sharp contrast to the industry average of 10‑15 %. The platform’s focus on businesses with proven order flow and repayment history has helped it build a track record that banks can trust.
Ossicone is Jia’s proprietary AI underwriting engine. The system scans documents that reflect how Philippine SMEs operate—purchase orders, supplier invoices and delivery receipts— and returns a credit decision in under 30 minutes with 97 % accuracy. Trained over three years on Jia’s own loan book, Ossicone’s models are continually refined by real‑time cash‑flow data fed through Jia Accounts, allowing the engine to improve as it processes more loans.
SMEs in emerging markets face an estimated US$8 trillion credit gap that legacy banks cannot close. Jia is offering its infrastructure to banks, cooperatives and other lending companies through an API and a white‑label product, allowing them to deploy accounts, underwriting and capital connectivity under their own brand without rebuilding core systems. Netbank is the first institution to use the platform, validating the model that Jia intends to roll out regionally.
"Every emerging market has thousands of businesses growing fast, paying on time, and waiting for a bank that can see them clearly," Jia CEO Zach Marks said in the press release. Jia Philippines President Krizanne Ty added, "There is no public dataset for Philippine SME financial documents. Every loan has sharpened Ossicone’s accuracy, and now that businesses bank with Jia, their live cash‑flow feeds directly into the models—making them better for every SME on our book and every institution building on our platform."
The partnership positions Jia as a platform provider rather than a sole lender, potentially expanding its reach across Southeast Asia and other emerging markets. The move comes amid a broader trend of fintechs partnering with regulated banks to offer embedded banking services.
Jia’s infrastructure is now available to other financial institutions through the partners@jia.xyz email. The company plans to expand its API‑based offering to additional banks and cooperatives in the region. No further financial terms or regulatory approvals have been disclosed beyond the initial credit facility.
The collaboration marks a milestone for Jia, transitioning from a lender to a platform provider and providing a new channel for Philippine SMEs to access working capital with a proven low‑risk underwriting model. The next phase will involve scaling the platform to other institutions and monitoring loan performance under the new model.
