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SINGAPORE, June 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Collectius, a leading restructuring partner for financial institutions in Asia, acquired its first portfolios in Vietnam since entering the market at the end of last year, securing more than US$800 million of non-performing loans (NPLs) from a Vietnam-based commercial bank.
The deal, which includes a combination of credit cards and personal loans, represents the largest single acquisition made by Collectius to date, and signifies a growing need for debt restructuring solutions in the country as loan defaults become more common due to the impact of the pandemic.
The NPLs were a joint acquisition by Collectius and IFC, a member of the World Bank Group. Both parties partnered in 2020 to launch a $60 million Distressed Asset Recovery Platform Program (DARP)[1] that focuses on the acquisition and resolution of distressed assets across emerging markets. Through this program, it helped many customers across the region meet their financial obligations and regain creditworthiness. IFC is also a minority equity shareholder in Collectius.
In addition, Collectius recently acquired NPL portfolios from a leading super app in Southeast Asia, as part of a regional deal that covers five countries including Vietnam. Through these NPLs acquisitions, Collectius now serves more than 195 thousand customers in Vietnam and is in discussions with several financial institutions to acquire more portfolios.
Banks in Vietnam are expected to see rapid credit growth this year as the economy reopens following two years of COVID restrictions, and the ratio of non-performing loans in the country is likely to increase as the regulatory forbearance to restructure loans is set to expire. The loan moratorium issued by the State Bank of Vietnam, which allows banks to extend their debt repayment terms to customers, will come to an end on 30 June 2022.
“Vietnam is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and the banking system, alongside the central bank, is accelerating the process of handling and restructuring bad debt. As a leading fintech pioneer in unsecured debt purchases, we are excited to work with partners in the country to contribute to a well-functioning NPL market that is key to a healthy banking sector”, said Gustav A. Eriksson, Group CEO at Collectius.
Entrusted by major banks and financial institutions, Collectius continues to reinforce its position as the preferred debt purchaser of consumer NPLs in Southeast Asia, employing technology and digital-led strategies to build additional servicing capacity. It employs what it calls the ‘Collectius Way of Collections’ – one that is rooted in ethics, compliance with local and international regulations, and a personalised and tailored approach. Collectius also ensures that all customers who undergo its processes benefit from greater financial literacy by gaining knowledge about the accumulation of interest and the different fees that banks and creditors add to an NPL, while guiding them on the journey to becoming debt-free
About Collectius
Collectius is a leading restructuring partner for financial institutions in Asia. With operations in Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, India and Vietnam, it has a growing footprint of over five million customers across these markets. Collectius aims to transform the debt management industry in Asia. Its processes are specifically designed to provide an end-to-end digital user experience that is secure, simple, and frictionless. It is digitally driven to facilitate an efficient and professional mediation process, that sets the benchmark for the wider industry. Collectius is majority-owned by its two founders Gustav A. Eriksson and Ivar Björklund, with the remainder owned by International Finance Corporation (IFC), Stena AB and Formica Capital.
[1] IFC press room, IFC and Collectius launch the first distressed asset recovery platform to address the impacts of COVID-19 on the banking sector and consumer finance in East Asia Pacific. 16 September 2020.
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