286% Increase Compared to Q1... Loan Disbursement Amount Also Up 600%
[Asia Economy Reporter Minwoo Lee] The loan comparison amount on 'Dambi,' a loan brokerage platform centered on mortgage loans, increased by 286% compared to the first quarter last year, and the loan execution amount rose by over 600%.
Bestfin, the operator of Dambi, announced the performance data for last year on the 16th. According to Dambi, as of the end of last month, the total cumulative loan comparison amount on Dambi reached 6.8011 trillion KRW, a 286% increase compared to the first quarter. The loan execution amount increased by 610% during the same period.
Since its official launch in November 2021 and the full-scale service start last year, 27 financial institutions including SC First Bank, Busan Bank, Samsung Life Insurance, and BC Card joined the platform. The number of subscribers in the fourth quarter increased by 343% compared to the first quarter, and the monthly active users (MAU) rose by 444%.
The main customers were found to be actively preparing to purchase their own homes, primarily in their 30s and 40s. The proportions of users in their 40s (32%) and 30s (28%) accounted for 60% of all users. Users in their 50s (20%), those aged 60 and above (10%), as well as those in their 20s (10%) all held double-digit shares. By gender, 65% of customers were male and 35% female. Among loan applicants, 71% were office workers.
Meanwhile, the regions most closely watched by Dambi customers last year were Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, accounting for 36% of total loans. This was followed by Busan and Gyeongnam regions (15%), and Seoul City accounted for 14%. The average housing prices in the regions where users applied for loans showed that Seoul City averaged 1.048 billion KRW, which was double that of Gyeonggi Province and Incheon (510 million KRW) and Busan and Gyeongnam (430 million KRW).
Dambi plans to enhance its service by partnering with 185 real estate agencies in the metropolitan area. The goal is to build a system that quickly connects home-seeking consumers with Dambi, enabling them to enjoy financial and real estate services simultaneously, evolving into a 'Propfintech (Proptech + Fintech)'.
Joo Eun-young, CEO of Bestfin, said, "Last year, despite the ongoing loan freeze caused by the global economic recession and rapid interest rate hikes, consumer interest in mortgage loan comparison services increased even more. Based on the feedback from our customers, we will present an improved service this year and continue to lead the digital transformation of the mortgage loan market."
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