GoTyme Bank Shareholders Acquire SAVii to Rev Up Product Expansion

Deal aims to empower Filipinos with convenient & secure payroll-enabled banking solutions

GoTyme Bank, one of the country’s fastest growing banks, is set to propel the expansion of its payroll-enabled financial product portfolio with its shareholders’ acquisition of SAVii, the Philippines’ largest fintech salary lender.

Founded in 2017 by its CEO Liam Grealish with Benoit Portoleau-Balloy and Javier Frassetto, SAVii (previously known as Uploan) is the market leader for salary lending with a loan book of over PHP3 billion. Serving more than 500,000 employees across 150 of the biggest Philippine corporations, it was recognized as a Top Employee Benefits Solutions Provider in 2022 and 2023 by HR Tech Outlook magazine.

The acquisition of SAVii by GoTyme Bank shareholders JG Summit and Tyme Group will boost GoTyme’s growth trajectory while expediting its path to profitability. 

Together, GoTyme Bank and SAVii aim to provide Filipino companies with the best payroll-enabled suite of financial products, helping them unlock their employees’ financial potential with the convenience and security of a bank.

Expanding Credit Products 

By integrating the SAVii credit offering into GoTyme Bank’s lending and payroll proposition, the two are poised to capture a significant market share of the employed population in the Philippines.

In April, GoTyme started offering an earned wage access (EWA) feature to employees of selected companies, enabling employees to access a prorated portion of their monthly pay every day.


The expansion of GoTyme Bank’s payroll-enabled financial products is also aligned with the call of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to expand lending to Filipinos. 

“This acquisition enables us to drive our strategy of deepening customer relationships by offering payroll and financial products that benefit both employees and their employers,” said Nate Clarke, GoTyme Bank president and CEO, on behalf of the bank’s shareholders. 

“For us at SAVii, salary is more than just take-home pay—it’s the safest vehicle to financial empowerment. Teaming up with GoTyme Bank was a clear and obvious path in our mission to assist individuals in accessing formal finance. We are excited with the opportunities it opens for our partner companies and their employees,” says Grealish. “SAVii can now offer a more comprehensive banking proposition to its customers.”

GoTyme Bank has always been aware of the persistent challenge of low consumer credit penetration in the Philippines, which has had people turning to informal lenders including some online apps. In response to the market’s needs, Clarke shared that the acquisition of SAVii is “a pivotal step toward resolving the longstanding issue of limited access to reliable and affordable credit among Filipino consumers.”

He added, “The partnership with SAVii will open up the simple and beautiful GoTyme banking experience to more companies and their employees.”

For more information on GoTyme Bank, visit gotyme.com.ph