KUALA LUMPUR, 20 MARCH 2025 – Boost Bank, the nation’s first homegrown digital bank has partnered with CGC Digital, a fintech subsidiary of Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Berhad (“CGC”) to enhance support for eligible underserved Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across Malaysia. Under this partnership, a total of RM130 million has been earmarked for Boost Bank’s financing solutions – Term Loan facility and Revolving Credit facility. 

CGC Digital will provide CGC’s guarantee cover through bundling with Boost Bank’s MSME financing solutions to further strengthen MSME access to finance. This offering aims to reach out to thousands of MSMEs and bridge the critical financing gap these businesses face, while enabling businesses to enhance operations and capitalise on growth opportunities. 

Boost Bank’s Term Loan financing offers MSMEs a convenient application process with minimal documentation required for loan amounts from RM50,000. The facility features a financing tenure of up to 36 months with no early settlement fees, facilitating effective cash flow management by MSME borrowers. Businesses can also enjoy flexible repayment options to be more in sync with their cash flow needs without incurring any penalty. 

The Revolving Credit financing offers MSMEs flexibility to manage their cash flow and rise to business opportunities with ease with its swift financing disbursement feature, which enables businesses to receive funds in as fast as two working days upon approval of the loan. 

Fozia Amanulla, CEO of Boost Bank, shared, “At Boost Bank, we understand the unique needs of MSMEs and the critical role financing plays in their growth. In line with our mission to drive financial inclusion and growth for underserved communities, we are committed to providing a platform that opens doors to growth, empowering businesses to overcome challenges and achieve success. This partnership with CGC Digital strengthens our ability to offer seamless, fast, and accessible financing solutions, empowering MSMEs to overcome challenges and seize growth opportunities. We will continue to innovate transformative offerings that will elevate the MSME landscape in Malaysia.”

“Boost Bank is our first digital bank partner, marking a significant milestone in our journey towards facilitating access to financing with digital-first partners. By collaborating with Boost Bank, we can offer seamless, efficient, and accessible financial products that cater to the unique needs of MSMEs,” said Yushida Husin, CEO of CGC Digital. “This partnership is a significant step forward in our mission to support underserved MSMEs by providing them with the financing they need to succeed. It also aligns perfectly with the purpose for which CGC Digital was established—collaborating with digital-first partners. We are excited about the potential this partnership holds and are eager to explore further collaborations with other digital-first players in the industry. Our goal is to continuously enhance our offerings, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of financial innovation.”

Boost Bank and CGC Digital are committed to addressing the needs of underserved MSMEs and promoting financial inclusion while ensuring MSMEs receive the support they need to thrive in today’s economy.

To learn more about Boost Bank, please visit www.myboostbank.co. For more information about CGC Digital, please visit www.cgcdigital.com.my. 

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Funding Societies is a regional financial technology (“FinTech”) company that provides financing to micro, small and medium enterprises (“MSMEs”), especially micro and small businesses currently unserved by existing financial institutions. Since its inception, Funding Societies has disbursed over US$3.5 billion (RM16 billion)[1] in business financing through five (5) million transactions, positively impacting over 100,000 businesses across its five (5) markets in Southeast Asia, namely Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

In the context of Malaysia, Funding Societies aims to address the RM90 billion [1] (US$19 billion) funding gap for MSMEs. Established in 2015, Funding Societies was one of the first companies to be registered as a Recognised Market Operator by the Securities Commission Malaysia.

With this investment, Funding Societies aims to expand its Malaysian coverage to areas beyond Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang, and Johor. By the end of 2025, it targets to serve more than 25,000 MSMEs across Malaysia, thereby improving MSME’s access to financing, growth, and scalability while fostering job creation and income development for those employed by these businesses.

Moreover, the company intends to widen the reach of its Islamic financing solutions introduced in Malaysia earlier this year. Since its launch in May 2023, it has disbursed over RM100 million in Shariah-compliant financing in Malaysia.

Khazanah’s investment falls under its Dana Impak mandate, a fundamental pillar under its Advancing Malaysia strategy. The investment complements the government’s aspiration of enhancing MSMEs’ performance through greater access to financing, creating opportunities and promoting socioeconomic growth for rural, semi-urban and underserved communities with limited access to financial services.

In order to create a greater impact on the Malaysian MSME ecosystem, Khazanah’s investment in Funding Societies is made alongside CGC Digital. CGC Digital aims to advance financial inclusion through the development of innovative digital guarantee products as well as its own guarantee credit scoring model that can close the gap and address the pain points in micro and small businesses’ demand for financing. These nation-building initiatives target to level the playing field for MSMEs, especially thin-file MSMEs. To reinforce the partnership, Funding Societies will continue to collaborate with CGC Digital to provide digital guarantee products on its platform, which will further aid Malaysian micro and small businesses in getting financing in the long term. A digital-first approach through its digital guarantee product leveraging alternative data will allow micro and small businesses broader and more affordable access to financing.

Khazanah’s Managing Director, Dato’ Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir, said, “The investment in Funding Societies reflects our commitment to fostering financial inclusion and bridging the funding gap, especially within the MSME community. Being the backbone of Malaysia’s economy and contributing nearly half of the nation’s employment, MSMEs are both critical and critically underserved. Hence, this investment aligns with our mission of contributing to nationbuilding and socioeconomic growth”.

Feisal added that by supporting innovative platforms like Funding Societies together with CGC Digital, Khazanah aims to empower the MSME community, unlocking new opportunities to propel the nation in line with the MADANI Economy vision of improving socioeconomic outcomes for all.

Khazanah’s impact thesis was driven by the role of digital finance platforms, such as Funding Societies, in leading the delivery of comprehensive digital financing solutions to underserved MSMEs in Southeast Asia, enabling improved access to capital and fostering financial inclusion throughout the region.

Particularly for the Malaysian market, with Dana Impak’s investment, Funding Societies aims to have more than 50% of its annual loan disbursements from Shariah-compliant financing by 2025 – in line with the aspiration to support the growth of Bumiputera MSMEs.

Yushida Husin, CEO of CGC Digital, said, “CGC Digital sees this investment as a strategic win for Malaysian MSMEs. We share Dana Impak’s vision and believe that, by working together with Khazanah, CGC Digital can advance financial inclusion among underserved and unserved MSMEs in the digital ecosystem. CGC Digital seeks to push the envelope by developing a suite of innovative digital guarantee products for thin-file MSMEs that can be offered together with Funding Societies’ financing products to increase their chance of obtaining much-needed financing.”

The investment also follows the success of CGC Digital’s partnership with Funding Societies earlier this year, where a new guarantee product was developed via a pilot programme. The product provides Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Berhad’s guarantee at the transactional level of Funding Societies’ digital supply chain financing, thereby directly supporting the business activities of MSMEs and advancing financial inclusion.

Datuk Mohd Zamree Mohd Ishak, Board Member of CGC Digital and the President and CEO of CGC Digital’s parent company, Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Berhad, echoed the sentiment, saying, “By joining forces with Khazanah and Funding Societies, this strategic investment by CGC Digital shows CGC Group’s commitment to taking Malaysian MSMEs, especially thin-file MSMEs, to the next level.”

Co-founder and Group CEO of Funding Societies, Kelvin Teo, said, “We are honoured to receive support from Khazanah and CGC Digital, who share our conviction to impact and MSMEs. This is a testament to our commitment towards extending credit to reach more underserved MSMEs. We would also progressively offer MSMEs more cash flow management solutions to power their growth.”

He added that while MSMEs represent 97% of business establishments in Malaysia and contribute 38% to the gross domestic product (GDP)[2], this group still faces significant challenges in obtaining credit, as evidenced by the RM90 billion financing gap in Malaysia[3].

“This is where Funding Societies seeks to step in by serving the region’s MSMEs’ cash management challenges and needs with our extensive reach and broad range of short-term financing solutions,” Teo added.

About Khazanah Nasional Berhad

Khazanah is the sovereign wealth fund of Malaysia entrusted to deliver sustainable value for Malaysians. In line with its long-term strategy of Advancing Malaysia, Khazanah aims to deliver its purpose by investing in catalytic sectors, creating value through active stewardship, increasing its global presence, as well as building capacity and vibrant communities for the benefit of Malaysians.

For more information on Khazanah, visit www.khazanah.com.my.

About Dana Impak

Dana Impak, or impact fund, is an initiative by Khazanah and a key pillar under Khazanah’s Advancing Malaysia strategy to support investments that will increase the nation’s competitiveness and resilience in the evolving global environment, prioritising the creation of long-term societal value for Malaysians.

About CGC Digital

CGC Digital is a FinTech company, established as the digital arm of Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Berhad. Registered in July 2022, our primary goal is to empower Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by creating a simpler and more seamless financing experience in the digital ecosystem.

For more information about CGC Digital, please visit www.cgcdigital.com.my.

About Funding Societies 

Funding Societies | Modalku is the largest unified SME digital finance platform in Southeast Asia. It is registered with the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), as well as licensed in Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand, and operates in Vietnam. It is backed by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, SoftBank Ventures Asia, Sequoia Capital India, Alpha JWC Ventures, SMBC Bank, Samsung Ventures, BRI Ventures, Endeavor, SGInnovate, Qualgro, and Golden Gate Ventures amongst others. The FinTech company provides business financing to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are funded by individual and institutional investors.

It was given the Digitalizing Services for Retail Participations award by the Securities Commission Malaysia during the INVESTSMART® FEST 2019, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) FinTech Award in 2016, the Global SME Excellence Award at the United Nations’ ITU Telecom World in 2017, KPMG Fintech100 in 2018, Brands for Good in 2019, and ASEAN Startup of the Year by Global Startup Awards in 2020. In 2021, it was honourably mentioned as Responsible Digital Innovator of the Year by the World Bank IFC SME Finance Forum and won the MAS ASEAN Fintech award for the second time. Most recently, it was awarded the Top Lending/Financing Startup at the Fintech Frontiers Awards Malaysia 2023.

For more information on Funding Societies Malaysia, please visit https://fundingsocieties.com.my. 

References

1. US$1 = RM4.62
2. Department of Statistics, Malaysia (2022)
3. Capital Masterplan 3, Securities Commission Malaysia

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This tripartite partnership signifies a collective commitment to address a key national-level Problem Statement, the RM90 billion financing gap to MSMEs. The digital tool to power the bridging of this funding gap will be the Alternative Credit Scoring, undertaken by CGC Digital as it explores possible alternative data to facilitate the development of its Alternative Credit Scoring model. This partnership will be led by CGC Digital in providing the digital guarantee developed for CGC, MDEC in connecting the fintech players and championing policies/frameworks, and PayNet in the utilisation of its payments data.

PayNet as the national payments network has over the years aggregated a sizeable data through its product range – DuitNow (also known as Malaysia’s National QR Code), JomPAY and FPX. MSMEs who are not SSM registered but may have registration under local councils could have transaction data in any of these data points. “Collaborating with MDEC and PayNet, CGC Digital has identified potential fintech companies to embark on proof-of-concept initiatives aimed at validating the effectiveness and viability of Alternative Credit Scoring model. This initiative is aimed to empower MSMEs and bridge the financing gap by democratising access to credit guarantee and financial services in advancing financial inclusion,” adds Yushida Husin, CEO of CGC Digital.

Ts. Mahadhir Aziz, CEO of MDEC says, “This collaboration is a testament to our commitment to drive innovation in the financial sector and address the MSMEs financing gap. The Malaysia Digital (MD) national strategic initiative and suite of dynamic PeMangkinMD programmes aim to transform our nation’s digital capabilities, foster the growth of tech companies, and boost the digital economy. We are optimistic to facilitate more partnerships between financial institutions, fintech companies and relevant ecosystem partners with a common goal of revolutionising credit assessment methods which will be a game changer for the financial sector”.

This MOU is envisaged to spark ideas to promote and scale more pilots using Alternative Credit Scoring data points among industry players. According to Gary Yeoh, Chief Commercial Officer of PayNet adds, “Validation of Alternative Credit Scoring’ effectiveness as a complementary tool in the credit assessment of businesses across all sizes will catalyse new frontiers on how credit is assessed. This could be a tipping point in a much-needed financing ecosystem where traditional banks are limited by conventional credit scoring tools”.

Using innovative solutions, e.g. artificial intelligence, machine learning, etc., for insights and data from non-traditional sources such as transaction data, utility and assessment payments, rental payments, mobile payments and more can potentially be used to assess MSMEs’ creditworthiness based on historical payment records. Collectively, all parties are cognisant of the opportunities that can be crystalised through Alternative Credit Scoring. The ability to co-create a data sharing environment that supports: 1) Thriving community of fintech companies; 2) Accessibility of financial products across all businesses and people; and 3) Customisation of financial products and services will revolutionise Malaysia’s future financial landscape.

About MDEC

Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), a government agency under the purview of the Ministry of Communications and Digital, was established in 1996 to lead Malaysia’s digital economy. Beginning with the implementation of the MSC Malaysia initiative, we have since then catalysed digital transformation and growth all over the nation. By offering greater incentives and governance for growth and re-investment, we aspire to bolster Malaysia’s status as the digital hub of ASEAN, opening new doors and driving shared prosperity for all Malaysians.

For more information on MDEC, please visit www.mdec.my.

About CGC Digital

CGC Digital is a FinTech company, established as the digital arm of Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Berhad. Registered in July 2022, our primary goal is to empower Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by creating a simpler and more seamless financing experience in the digital ecosystem.

For more information about CGC Digital, please visit www.cgcdigital.com.my.

About PayNet

Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) is the national payments network and central financial infrastructure for Malaysia with the vision to empower Malaysia’s digital economy. Our extensive retail payments suite, DuitNow (QR and P2P), JomPay (Bill Payments), FPX (Online), MyDebit (Domestic Debit), MEPS (ATM), and IBG (Interbank GIRO) has near ubiquitous coverage across the nation and is part of the daily fabric of life in Malaysia. In addition, PayNet’s real time retail QR payments network, DuitNow is also interoperable with domestic schemes in Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia as well as international schemes to enable seamless cross-border transactions.

PayNet is committed to promoting a secure, efficient, and innovative payments ecosystem in Malaysia, and works closely with its stakeholders to develop new products and services that meet the evolving needs of consumers and businesses.

For more information, please visit www.paynet.my.

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KUALA LUMPUR, 3 August 2023 – Funding Societies, the largest unified SME digital finance platform in Malaysia became the first FinTech to partner with CGC Digital, the FinTech subsidiary of Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Berhad (CGC). The partnership aims to provide a digital credit guarantee through a Shariah-compliant digital supply chain financing (DSCF) solution to better address the financing needs of Malaysian micro and small enterprises who are also the most underserved segments. 

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed shows the two parties’ commitment to collaborate on a Proof of Concept (POC) project and innovate products that could enable wider financing access for underserved and unserved MSMEs. Through the partnership, CGC Digital developed a new digital credit guarantee product for CGC that will be offered for financing up to RM4 million as a start, benefiting up to 100 creditworthy micro and small enterprises via Funding Societies’ industry leading DSCF solutions, leveraging alternative data for MSMEs’ credit risk assessment. 

Wong Kah Meng, Group Chief Operating Officer, Funding Societies | Modalku, commenting on the partnership, said, “Following our entry into the SME Portfolio guarantee program of CGC in April this year, we are fortifying this collaboration with CGC Digital. The

digital-first approach leverages alternative data, enabling MSMEs with broader and more affordable access of MSMEs to digital guarantee and transformative financing.” 

Wong added, “CGC Digital’s innovation of CGC’s credit guarantee would mitigate risk for investors and reduce cost of financing for MSMEs. Combining it with our industry playbook for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), agriculture, telecommunications, and wholesale & retail trade segments, we would be able to serve more micro and small enterprises that make up these industry segments.” 

 [L-R] Chief Executive Officer of CGC Digital, Yushida Husin; President & Chief Executive Officer of CGC, Datuk Mohd Zamree Mohd Ishak; Co-founder & Group Chief Executive Officer, Funding Societies | Modalku, Kelvin Teo; and Group Chief Operating Officer, Funding Societies | Modalku and Co-Founder of Funding Societies Malaysia, Wong Kah Meng 

 

Yushida Husin, Chief Executive Officer, CGC Digital said, “CGC Digital broke new ground in this collaboration with Funding Societies. This MoU signifies our mutual dedication to fostering innovation and co-creating value with MSMEs. CGC Digital seeks to provide MSMEs with a one-stop digital marketplace for better access to finance and more targeted assistance to scale up. Given this, we are committed to collaborating with like-minded strategic partners in the digital ecosystem to accelerate financial inclusion of MSMEs in Malaysia.” 

Financing for micro and small enterprises remains challenging due to the lack of credit history and the nature of the financing, which is smaller ticket size and higher volume of transactions. This presents an exciting opportunity for FinTech companies like Funding Societies and CGC Digital to step in and provide the necessary capital and CGC’s innovative credit guarantee features to meet the unique needs of these segments. By working hand in hand, Funding Societies and CGC Digital can leverage on technology and automation to risk-price more accurately and process financing efficiently, enabling right-priced trade finance products (traditionally reserved for larger businesses) for micro and small enterprises. 

The MoU was signed by Wong Kah Meng together with Yushida Husin. It was witnessed by Kelvin Teo, Group Chief Executive Officer, Funding Societies | Modalku, and Datuk Mohd Zamree Mohd Ishak, President and Chief Executive Officer of CGC. The announcement comes on the heels of Funding Societies’ MoU signing with CGC in April for a RM10 million SME Portfolio Guarantee scheme focusing on business expansion for small and medium-sized enterprises, and most recently, their launch of a comprehensive Islamic Financing solutions including Shariah-compliant micro, trade, and term financings. 

For more information on the partnership or Funding Societies’ supply chain financing facility, please visit https://fundingsocieties.com.my/invoice-financing. 

About Funding Societies 

Funding Societies | Modalku is the largest unified SME digital finance platform in Southeast Asia. It is registered with the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), as well as licensed in Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand, and operates in Vietnam. It is backed by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, SoftBank Ventures Asia, Sequoia Capital India, Alpha JWC Ventures, SMBC Bank, Samsung Ventures, BRI Ventures, Endeavor, SGInnovate, Qualgro, and Golden Gate Ventures amongst others. The FinTech company

provides business financing to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are funded by individual and institutional investors. It was given the Digitalizing Services for Retail Participations award by the Securities Commission Malaysia during the INVESTSMART® FEST 2019, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) FinTech Award in 2016, the Global SME Excellence Award at the United Nations’ ITU Telecom World in 2017, KPMG Fintech100 in 2018, Brands for Good in 2019, and ASEAN Startup of the Year by Global Startup Awards in 2020. In 2021, it was honourably mentioned as Responsible Digital Innovator of the Year by the World Bank IFC SME Finance Forum and won the MAS ASEAN Fintech award for the second time. 

For more information on Funding Societies Malaysia, please visit https://fundingsocieties.com.my. 

About CGC Digital 

CGC Digital is a wholly owned Fintech subsidiary of CGC and was launched in July 2022 with a commitment to advancing financial sector digitalisation and providing greater access to financing through its digital platform and digital products. CGC Digital harnesses the power of digital platforms and solutions to spearhead innovation and optimise the implementation of digital initiatives to empower micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) throughout their business life stages. 

CGC Digital’s vision is to pave the way for MSMEs to unleash their potential through digital means and the mission is to drive MSME’s economic growth through innovative, accessible, and efficient financial digital solutions. At CGC Digital, our core values are built upon passion, being agile, vibrant and empathy. These core principles serve as the bedrock of the organisation, shaping our actions and decisions across all aspects of our operation. 

For more information about CGC Digital, please visit www.cgcdigital.com.my.

 

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