VM Building Society
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1879
- HeadquartersKingston, Jamaica
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
VM Building Society firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- VM Building Society
- Legal name
- VM Mutual Building Society
- Website
- https://vmbuildingsociety.myvmgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1879
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
VM Building Society industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Retail Banking
- NAICS
- Credit Unions (52213)
- SIC
- Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Building Societies (Mutual Mortgage/Retail Banks) (FSABAEAE)
Keywords
Where VM Building Society is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kingston
- HQ country
- Jamaica
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices22 records
Markets served
VM Building Society business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Interest Income - Mortgage Lending: Primary revenue stream from mortgage lending including First Time Home Buyer mortgages, iSave4Home mortgages, residential mortgages, construction loans, home equity loans, and commercial mortgages. Interest rate spreads between deposit and lending rates generate core income.
- Interest Income - Consumer Lending: Revenue from auto loans (Drive Auto Loan), personal loans (secured and unsecured), cash secured loans, and credit cards. Competitive rates offered with fast turnaround times.
- Interest Income - Deposit Accounts: Interest earned on savings accounts, term deposits, iGain Certificate of Deposit, iSave accounts, and business operating accounts across JMD, USD, CAD, and GBP currencies.
- Foreign Exchange Trading: Revenue from buying and selling foreign currencies (USD, GBP, CAD) at competitive rates. Services offered to individuals, MSMEs, and corporate clients through branches, Money Express stores, and online platforms.
- Credit Card Operations: Income from VM Visa Gold and Platinum credit cards including annual fees, interest charges on balances, and transaction fees. Interest rates range from 39% to 42% depending on card tier.
- Fee Income: Various service fees including processing fees on loans (ranging from 1.5% to 3% plus GCT depending on product), wire transfer fees, and other banking service charges. Many day-to-day transactions offered at no or low cost as a mutual benefit.
- Insurance Commission - Canopy Family Plan: Commission revenue from referring members to Canopy Family Plan insurance product (affiliate), which offers life insurance coverage up to $1.5 million with premiums starting at $380 per month.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Savings/Deposit Accounts (JMD) - Tiered rates from 0.001% to 0.12% |
| Subscription | Monthly | VM Premier Club (JMD) - Enhanced rates for members 55+ |
| Subscription | Annual | VM iGain Certificate of Deposit (JMD) - Terms from 30 to 365 days |
| Subscription | Monthly | VM iSave Account (JMD) - 2.00% to 4.00% |
| Subscription | Monthly | Foreign Currency Savings (USD) - 0.01% to 0.03% |
| Subscription | Annual | VM iGain Certificate of Deposit (USD) - 0.03% to 0.70% |
| Subscription | Monthly | Mortgage Products - Rates from 6.00% to 15.00% |
| Subscription | Monthly | Auto Loans - 11.50% to 12.50% |
| Subscription | Monthly | Personal Loans - 17.00% |
| Subscription | Monthly | ATL Package Auto Loans - 10.95% to 11.25% |
| Subscription | Annual | VM Visa Gold Credit Card - 42% interest, $6,000 annual fee |
| Subscription | Annual | VM Visa Platinum Credit Card - 39% interest, $12,000 annual fee |
| Subscription | Monthly | VM Visa Platinum Business Credit Card - JMD 30%, USD 18% |
| Subscription | Monthly | Canopy Family Plan Insurance - From $380/month, up to $1.5M coverage |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Foreign Exchange Rates (USD) - Buy 144.30, Sell 153.70-159.70 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels14 records
Marketing channels10 records
VM Building Society product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VM Building Society is a Jamaican mutual financial institution offering deposit accounts, residential and commercial mortgage lending, consumer and auto loans, Visa credit cards, foreign exchange trading, and international money transfer services to individual consumers and businesses. Operations are delivered through 16 branches, 25+ ABMs, Money Express stores, and digital channels (VM Express Online, mobile app, VM Assist, mortgage and loan portals), with diaspora support through overseas representative offices in the US and UK.
Product overview
VM Building Society operates as a Jamaican mutual financial institution offering a comprehensive suite of banking and financial products organized around three core pillars: personal banking (deposits, mortgages, loans, credit cards, FX), business banking (operating accounts, corporate lending, investment services, payroll processing), and digital platforms (online/mobile banking, ABM network, self-service portals). The product portfolio centers on deposit accounts (Save2Grow, Money Maker, iSave Suite with iSave/iSave for Home/iSave Long Term, iGain, Bridal Registry, Premier Club), mortgage products (1st Home Mortgage, iSave for Home Mortgage, Home Equity Loan, Construction Loan, Disaster Recovery Loan), consumer lending (VM Drive Auto Loan, Cash Secured Loan, Unsecured Loan), and business solutions (Corporate Lending, Investment and Treasury, Pension Fund Management, Property Services). Credit card offerings include VM Visa Gold and VM Visa Platinum (personal) and VM Visa Platinum Business Credit Card. Digital access is provided through VM Express Online, VM Express Mobile App, VM Assist, VM Mortgage Portal, Consumer Loans Portal, and Express 24 ABM network with 21+ locations. The institution also provides insurance (Canopy Family Plan) and international money transfer services (VMTS). VMBS operates 16 branches islandwide plus representative offices in New York, Florida, and the UK, with full foreign exchange services in USD, GBP, and CAD.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- VM Express: Online and mobile banking platform for personal and business account access, transfers, bill payments, and FX trading.
- VM Assist
- iSave Suite
- VM Drive Auto Loan
- VM Premier Club
- VM Money Transfer Services (VMTS)
- Express 24 ABM
- My Rewards by Visa
Products and services
- Save2Grow Student Savings
- Money Maker Long-Term Savings
- VM Bridal Registry Savings
- VM Premier Club
- iGain Fixed Deposit
- iSave Suite Savings
- 1st Home Mortgage (First Time Home Buyer)
- iSave for Home Mortgage
- Home Equity Loan
- Residential Mortgage
- Construction Loan
- Disaster Recovery Loan
- VM Drive Auto Loan
- Cash Secured Loan
- Unsecured Personal Loan
- VM Visa Gold Credit Card
- VM Visa Platinum Credit Card
- VM Visa Platinum Business Credit Card
- VM Foreign Exchange Trading
- VM Money Transfer Services (VMTS)
- Business Operating Account
- Corporate Lending
- Investment and Treasury Services
- Pension Fund Management
- Property Services
- Canopy Family Plan Insurance
- VM Express Online Banking
- VM Express Mobile App
- VM Assist Self-Service Portal
- VM Mortgage Portal
- Consumer Loans Portal
- VM Account Online Onboarding Portal
- Express 24 ABM Network
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 100% financing available for auto loans
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use VM Building Society
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
VM Building Society technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Feature3 records
VM Building Society partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Canopy Insurance (Canopy Family Plan)coreVM Building Society partners with Canopy Insurance to offer the Canopy Family Plan, an affordable life insurance solution covering members and up to 5 eligible family members with premiums starting at $380/month and coverage up to $1.5 million. VM promotes this insurance product to its members as part of its comprehensive financial wellness offerings.
- BCIC (Brokerage and Insurance Consultants)supportingBCIC is VM Building Society's affiliate company handling catastrophe insurance claims. Members impacted by Hurricane Melissa can complete Catastrophe Claim Forms through BCIC to initiate the claims process for damaged mortgaged properties.
- VM FoundationcoreVM Foundation is a related entity that works with VM Building Society on corporate social responsibility initiatives. The Foundation undertakes community outreach in education, parenting, sports, youth and community development. During Hurricane Melissa, the Foundation activated its Emergency Relief Fund for hardware, food, medical and essential supplies.
- CarilendsupportingCarilend is an online lending partner offering unsecured loans up to $3,000,000 through VM Building Society's digital access points. The partnership provides members with fast loan turnaround and accessible borrowing options.
- Multilink NetworksupportingVM Building Society debit cards (Express 24) can be used fee-free at any point of sale terminal and ABM on the Multilink network across Jamaica, extending the company's service accessibility beyond its own ABM network.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
VM Building Society competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Scotiabank Jamaica: Canadian-headquartered international bank with substantial Jamaican retail and commercial operations. Overlaps with VMBS across the full banking suite but operates as part of a global network with materially greater capital, technology investment, and product breadth.
Direct peers
- JN Bank (Jamaica National): Member-owned cooperative bank in Jamaica providing savings, loans, mortgages, and remittance services. Structurally the closest peer to VMBS due to its mutual/cooperative ownership model and member-first proposition, competing head-to-head in Jamaican retail banking.
- JMMB Bank Jamaica: Jamaican bank and financial group offering savings, loans, money market, and investment services to retail and corporate customers. Competes with VMBS for Jamaican deposits and consumer lending, with a stronger investment management orientation.
- Sagicor Bank Jamaica: Diversified Jamaican financial group offering banking, insurance, and investment products to consumers and businesses. Competes directly with VMBS across deposits, mortgages, and credit cards, with added insurance capabilities similar to VMBS's Canopy Family Plan partnership.
- First Global Bank: Jamaican commercial bank serving retail, SME, and corporate clients with deposit accounts, consumer loans, mortgages, and FX services. A near-substitute peer for VMBS in Jamaican retail and small business banking.
- National Commercial Bank (Jamaica): Jamaica's largest commercial bank offering retail deposits, mortgages, consumer loans, credit cards, and corporate banking. Directly competes with VMBS for Jamaican retail and SME customers across an overlapping product suite, with significantly greater scale and capital base.
Regional players
- Heartland Building Society (New Zealand): Mutual building society operating in New Zealand with a similar cooperative ownership structure, member-first value proposition, and product focus on mortgages and savings. Useful structural and operational benchmark for VMBS's mutual model outside Jamaica.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
VM Building Society social profiles
Digital presenceVM Building Society compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
VM Building Society financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
VM Building Society leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
VM Building Society subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
VM Building Society funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
VM Building Society M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about VM Building Society
What does VM Building Society do?
VM Building Society is a Jamaican mutual financial institution offering deposit accounts, residential and commercial mortgage lending, consumer and auto loans, Visa credit cards, foreign exchange trading, and international money transfer services to individual consumers and businesses. Operations are delivered through 16 branches, 25+ ABMs, Money Express stores, and digital channels (VM Express Online, mobile app, VM Assist, mortgage and loan portals), with diaspora support through overseas representative offices in the US and UK.
Is VM Building Society a public or private company?
VM Building Society is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was VM Building Society founded?
VM Building Society was founded in 1879. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is VM Building Society based?
VM Building Society is headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica, in the Latin America region.
How does VM Building Society make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Interest Income - Mortgage Lending is the primary driver. The others are interest Income - Consumer Lending, interest Income - Deposit Accounts, foreign Exchange Trading, credit Card Operations, fee Income and insurance Commission - Canopy Family Plan.
Who are VM Building Society's main competitors?
Scotiabank Jamaica is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are JN Bank (Jamaica National), JMMB Bank Jamaica, Sagicor Bank Jamaica, First Global Bank and National Commercial Bank (Jamaica). Heartland Building Society (New Zealand) is listed as a regional player.
Does VM Building Society have an API?
No public API is recorded for VM Building Society.
What industry is VM Building Society in?
VM Building Society's product category is Retail Banking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSABAEAE, Building Societies (Mutual Mortgage/Retail Banks). Its NAICS code is 52213 and its SIC code is 6162.