Photo: Tala

Tala is the first US fintech startup to set up a legal presence in Vietnam. Previously, US companies and investment funds mainly entered the local fintech market indirectly through venture capital investments rather than direct operations.

The company has raised over $500 million from major investors including Google Ventures, PayPal Ventures, Notable Capital, and IVP. Vietnam marks Tala’s eighth market, following its expansion into countries such as the United States, Kenya, Mexico, and the Philippines.

Steven Truong, general director of Tala Vietnam, said the parent company plans to invest $5 million in the initial phase to build technology infrastructure and develop a local workforce.

“Vietnam’s market potential is significant, as bank account penetration is relatively high, but access to formal credit remains limited, which has fuelled informal and high-interest lending,” Steven said.

In its existing markets, Tala operates as a consumer finance company, focusing primarily on low-income segments. Its core products are small-ticket loans of around $100, with an average tenor of 30 days.

Last year, Tala disbursed $1.7 billion and reported revenue of more than $370 million. In Vietnam, Tala operates as a technology service provider rather than a credit institution or finance company. During the initial phase, all lending activities are carried out by its partner bank, CIMB.

The first loans are expected to be disbursed in the first quarter of this year. Loan sizes will be capped at $1,200 with a tenor of up to 61 days. CIMB has committed a total credit limit of $100 million over at least three years for borrowers accessing loans through the Tala application.

Vietnam is currently home to around 200 fintech companies, most of which operate in the banking and financial services segment.

Since mid-2025, the government has introduced a regulatory sandbox framework to pilot fintech solutions in the banking sector, including peer-to-peer lending, credit scoring, and data sharing via open application programming interfaces.