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Tonik Becomes the First Standalone Digital Bank in the Philippines to Achieve Profitability

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6 months ago

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Built on Lending, Not on Users. Powered by the Strongest Unit Economics in Philippine Banking.

MANILA, Philippines and SINGAPORE, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tonik, the holder of BSP Digital Banking License No. 001 and the Philippines’ first standalone digital bank, has reached a defining milestone: sustained profitability. The company generated consolidated positive cash net income (after all costs including cost of risk) in Q1 2026, becoming the first standalone digital bank in the country to do so—and one of the fastest non-ecosystem neobanks globally to reach this point.  At the same time, Tonik’s regulated bank subsidiary, Tonik Digital Bank, Inc. has also achieved IFRS profitability for the entire Q1 2026.

This milestone is the direct outcome of a founding choice: to build a credit-led institution, not a user platform.

A Model Built for Lending, Not Optics

While much of the narrative around the Philippine digital banking market has been defined by user growth, deposits, and payment volumes, Tonik was designed from day one as a lending institution—focused on deploying capital efficiently into consumer credit for the 90% of Filipinos unserved by formal bank lenders.  This strategic choice was driven by a simple logic – revenue on a loan client is 20x higher than on a payment client, and credit inclusion is clearly where the remaining gap in the market is, not payment inclusion.

Five years in, that discipline is now showing up in the only metrics that matter: profitability and capital efficiency.

The Numbers That Matter

As of April 2026:

Loan portfolio: USD 110 million, up 2.3× year-on-year, growth leaderAnnualized revenue run-rate: USD 60M+, with 99% from lendingNIM / Lending RAROC: 51% / 25% — the highest in the banking marketLoan-to-deposit ratio: 82% — the highest among Philippine digital banksNet LTV/CAC: 23× — validating a scaled upsell flywheel engine

These metrics reflect a business built on lending productivity—not user accumulation or idle deposits.

Why the Model Matters

Tonik is the first digital bank in the Philippines to reach profitability without relying on a pre-existing bank, payments, telco, or retail ecosystem. While ecosystem-backed models can accelerate early growth, they often cap long-term scalability—as proven by the fact that most of the world’s largest digital banks were built as standalone, balance-sheet-driven institutions.

What Drove Profitability

Three structural decisions underpin this outcome:

AI-driven risk management. Five years of advanced data and underwriting iteration have enabled profitable lending to thin-file borrowers, improving risk-adjusted returns while sustaining growth.

Portfolio mix diversification. Lending is diversified across employer-channel salary-deduction loans, merchant installment network, and digital personal loans.  These channels provide structural risk mitigation supporting de-risked unit economics. 

Deposit advantage. A BSP license enables retail funding at 3–6%, versus 15%+ for non-bank lenders—creating a structural margin edge on every loan.

CEO Comment

Greg Krasnov, Founder & CEO of Tonik Digital Bank:

“Profitability in digital banking is a function of what you choose not to do. We chose not to chase users as a vanity metric. We chose not to build deposits we couldn’t deploy. We built a credit bank—with the best unit economics in the market—and let the income statement follow.

We are now the only player that is both cleanly profitable and structurally positioned with a digital bank deposit license to scale into the $50-100 billion credit gap. That makes us the growth leader today.  That is a rare combination, and we intend to press it.”

What Comes Next

Tonik enters its next phase as a loan portfolio growth leader among Philippine digital banks, with a model that no longer requires external subsidy to grow. Near-term priorities include expanding employer-channel lending through Tendo, scaling the merchant network, and enhancing revolving credit products to serve a repeat borrower base with an accelerating lifetime customer value flywheel.

About Tonik Digital Bank

Tonik Digital Bank, Inc. holds BSP Digital Banking License No. 001—the first standalone digital banking license issued in the Philippines. It provides personal loans, store installment financing, employer-channel lending, and savings products through a fully digital platform.

Since launch in February 2021, Tonik has grown its loan portfolio to USD 110 million and its revenue run-rate to USD 60M+, reaching cash flow profitability in Q1 2026.  For more information visit tonikbank.com

 

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SOURCE TONIK Financial Pte Ltd

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LEAP Group Relaunches HumanView, a Growth Intelligence System Built to Explain Why Customers Behave the Way They Do

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7 hours ago

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October 24, 2026

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Reimagined from the ground up, HumanView pairs statistical modeling with expert analysts to turn millions of real-world customer signals into business decisions

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LEAP Group today announced the relaunch of HumanView, its growth intelligence service. The new version has been rebuilt from the ground up and now has a dedicated home at leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

HumanView analyzes what customers say and do across social platforms, e-commerce sites, review platforms, search behavior and user-generated content, including signals from Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, Meta, Amazon and Walmart+ that general AI tools cannot always access. Because the data reflects unprompted, real-world behavior, it avoids the response bias built into surveys and focus groups.

The service works in three layers. HumanView captures signals at scale, decodes millions of records through validated statistical models such as regression, correlation and clustering, and then relies on experienced analysts to interpret the patterns. Clients receive clear, human-validated insights instead of another dashboard.

“Machines find the patterns. Humans find the point,” said Alan Gilleo, CEO at LEAP Group. “The first version of HumanView showed us how much customers reveal when nobody is asking them questions. This version is built to explain why they act the way they do, and to put those answers in front of everyone making decisions, from product to service to marketing.”

HumanView focuses on three areas:

Growth Intelligence: customer motivations and how people perceive a brand and its competitors

Market and Category Intelligence: product pain points, service friction, unmet needs and competitive gaps

Audience Intelligence: new segments, positioning opportunities and gaps in the market

Every model is designed and validated by data scientists and benchmarked before it informs a recommendation.

To learn more about HumanView, visit leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

About LEAP Group
LEAP Group is a boutique marketing agency holding company with offices in Louisville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Chicago. Guided by the belief that brands should “Market Less. Matter More.,” LEAP gives clients access to specialized experts across its entire network. Learn more at leapgroupnetwork.com.

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SOURCE LEAP Group

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STEPHEN A. SMITH ADDRESSES WHITE HOUSE DINNER ATTENDANCE, REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO HBCUs AND PROTECTING CORPORATE INVESTMENT IN BLACK EDUCATION

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8 hours ago

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October 24, 2026

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NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Stephen A. Smith, media mogul, New York Times bestselling author, and proud 1991 graduate of Winston-Salem State University, is addressing the public discussion surrounding his decision to attend a White House dinner with President Donald Trump, emphasizing his commitment to the long-term financial stability of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

For Smith, the decision was rooted in a commitment to institutions that have educated generations of Black leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, and public servants.

“I will always advocate for HBCUs and the students whose futures depend on them,” Smith said. “My reason for attending the White House dinner was to discuss the challenges these institutions face in securing long-term funding and to make the case that corporate America must continue to invest in them.”

Smith acknowledged federal support through the FUTURE Act while expressing concern that political tensions surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) could discourage private companies from supporting HBCUs. He maintains that these institutions deserve sustained corporate partnerships, philanthropic contributions, and public investment.

“If we truly believe in free-market capitalism, businesses should be able to support educational institutions and charitable causes without fear of criticism or repercussions,” Smith said. “HBCUs have made extraordinary contributions to this country. They deserve sustained public and private investment.”

Ashley Christopher, Esq., Founder and CEO of the HBCU Week Foundation, recognized Smith’s advocacy and decision to engage with the administration.

“Stephen A. Smith has been a powerful advocate for HBCUs, using his platform and influence to shine a national spotlight on our institutions,” expressed Christopher, “His continued support of HBCU Week helps advance our mission of connecting students with life-changing educational opportunities, and we are proud to have him as our ambassador.”

Since Smith became an HBCU Week Ambassador in 2019, the initiative has facilitated more than 15,000 on-the-spot college acceptances and raised and awarded more than $150 million in scholarships, according to the HBCU Week Foundation.

As public discussion continues, Smith is emphasizing the importance of ensuring HBCUs have the resources and partnerships needed to educate future generations and expand opportunities for students.

CLICK HERE to watch Smith’s full response to his White House visit.

MEDIA CONTACT:

media@mrsasinc.com

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SOURCE Straight Shooter Media

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Advantex Announces Completion of Financing and Extension of Maturity Date of Previously Issued Debentures

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8 hours ago

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October 24, 2026

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TORONTO, Oct. 23, 2026 /CNW/ — Advantex Marketing International Inc. (CSE: ADX) (“Advantex”), a leader in the merchant cash advance and loyalty marketing products for merchants, today announced the completion of a $250,000 secured debt financing. Advantex issued a $250,000 non-convertible debenture which bears an interest rate at 12% per annum and matures December 15, 2027. The proceeds raised from this issuance of the Debenture will be used for working capital purposes.

Advantex has also extended the maturity of its existing $700,000 in 12% secured debentures from October 10, 2026 to December 15, 2027.

About Advantex Marketing International Inc.

Advantex provides working capital to merchants. Advantex also provides specialized marketing programs that enable members of Aeroplan to earn Aeroplan points at participating merchants.

Advantex shares trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol ADX. For more information go to Advantex’s profile on www.sedar.com

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the future business and operations of Advantex. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The business and operations of Advantex described herein is dependent on a number of factors and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ material include, but are not limited to, changes in Advantex’s economic and competitive conditions including but not limited to the industry sectors in which Advantex operates.

The statements in this news release are made of the date of this release. Forward-looking statements are made based on management’s beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date the statements are made and Advantex undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE Advantex Marketing International Inc.

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