When someone applies for a digital loan today, the decision is no longer made only by a bank officer sitting behind a desk. In Bangladesh, fintech platforms are increasingly using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to decide who qualifies for credit—and who doesn’t.
Traditional banks relied heavily on salary slips, collateral, and past bank records. But millions of people in Bangladesh do not have these. AI-powered credit engines solve this gap by using alternative data. This includes mobile wallet transactions, utility payments, mobile top-ups, e-commerce behavior, and even repayment patterns from microloans.
AI models analyze thousands of such data points in seconds. They identify patterns that humans cannot, such as how consistently someone pays bills, how stable their income is, or how their spending changes over time. This allows fintechs to offer loans to small shop owners, freelancers, and gig workers who were previously invisible to the banking system.
However, this also raises important questions. Transparency is critical. Users must understand why a loan was approved or rejected. If data quality is poor or biased, AI decisions can also be unfair. That is why responsible fintech companies are investing in explainable AI and strong data governance.
The future of lending in Bangladesh will not be driven by paperwork—it will be driven by data. As digital footprints grow through wallets, apps, and online payments, AI will continue to reshape financial access. The challenge now is to make this technology both powerful and fair.