Southeast Asia’s fintechs fill lending gap with data

SINGAPORE/JAKARTA — Southeast Asian fintech startups are extending credit to younger borrowers, many of whom have limited access to traditional financial services, even as some of the region’s largest lenders rush to digitize their businesses.

So-called buy now, pay later services and digital banks are quickly plugging a large lending gap in the region, as widespread adoption of smartphones and the use of e-commerce platforms allows fintechs to obtain customer data and screen even those with little or no credit history.