Tala Finance
| Tala | |
| Company type | Privately held company |
| Industry | Financial services |
| Founded | 2010 in California |
| Founder | Shivani Siroya |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Latin America, South East Asia and East Africa |
| Products | Financial Services |
Number of employees | 733 (2025) |
| Website | tala |
Tala is a US-based financial technology firm delivering credit and lending solutions throughout Latin America, Southeast Asia, and East Africa. Founded by Shivani Siroya, who currently leads as CEO, the company is headquartered in Santa Monica, California. Tala’s core objective is to provide financial access to individuals without established credit records, often referred to as the "unbanked". As of 2025, the firm has secured $350 million in funding from investors such as PayPal Ventures, Revolution Growth, IVP, and GV.
By 2024, Tala had extended services to more than 12 million users and issued loans exceeding $7 billion. Its operational presence includes offices in the United States, Nairobi (Kenya), Mexico City (Mexico), Manila (Philippines), and Bangalore (India).
History
In 2011, CEO and founder Shivani Siroya initiated the company with a vision to revolutionize credit lending. Her background included research on health and microfinance across sub-Saharan and West Africa during her tenure at the United Nations Population Fund. Recognizing a gap in financial inclusion, she conducted interviews with 3,500 micro-entrepreneurs. This research led to the creation of an Android application that utilizes alternative data sources to generate immediate credit scores, focusing primarily on women entrepreneurs.
Business model
Customers request personal loans and other financial products through Tala’s mobile application. The company analyzes mobile phone usage data—such as payment histories, travel routines, and app engagement—to evaluate creditworthiness and produce a credit score. Loan amounts range from $10 to $500, with an average loan size around $50. While Tala has been criticized for facilitating rapid access to small loans—raising concerns about impulsive borrowing and elevated interest rates—the repayment rate remains above 90%. Some borrowers have reported assertive debt collection methods. In 2017, Tala launched a digital wallet feature designed to assist users in managing their finances.
In 2024, Tala formed a partnership with Mexico’s financial regulatory body CONDUSEF to advocate for responsible digital finance practices. Additionally, it collaborated with Bayad Center in the Philippines to embed bill payment functionalities within its platform and obtained authorization as a digital credit provider from Kenya’s Central Bank.
Social impact and awards
By 2025, Tala supports over 10 million customers worldwide across Southeast Asia and East Africa, including upwards of three million clients in Mexico and approximately 3.5 million in Kenya. Women represent half of Tala’s loan recipients in Mexico, underscoring the firm’s commitment to broadening financial inclusion despite some criticism for focusing on vulnerable populations.
Founded by a female entrepreneur, Tala earned recognition as one of Newsweek’s Greatest Workplaces for Women in 2024. Additional accolades include placement on Fortune’s Impact 20 list (2020), CNBC's Disruptor 50 (2024), and Forbes’ Fintech 50 (2025). Moreover, Tala Kenya was honored with the Best Digital Credit Provider in Risk Management award by Think Business in 2025.