First Finance
- Company typePublic
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersDhaka, Bangladesh
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What First Finance does
First Finance PLC is a Bangladesh-based Non-Banking Financial Institution (NBFI) licensed by Bangladesh Bank on October 5, 1999 and listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange and Chittagong Stock Exchange since October 9, 2003. The company was originally established in 1993 and converted into a public limited company, operating with a paid-up capital of Tk. 1,185.54 million, statutory reserves of Tk. 369.94 million, and authorized capital of Tk. 5,000 million.
The company operates a multi-product lending and deposit platform across three segments: corporate and SME financing, retail financing, and deposit products. Loan products include Lease Finance & Sale-Lease Back (1-5 year tenures, up to 70% of acquisition cost), Real Estate Loans, Car Loans (up to 50% of vehicle value), Working Capital Finance, Women Entrepreneur Loans (10% interest rate, collateral-free up to Tk. 5 Lacs), SME Loans (Tk. 50,000 to Tk. 25 Lacs), Home Loans, and SME financing under Bangladesh Bank refinance schemes (funded by IDA, ADB, JICA). Deposit products include Fixed Deposits (10-12% rates), Double Money Benefit schemes, and Monthly Savings Schemes (Tk. 1,000 to Tk. 10,000 monthly deposits).
The business model is interest-spread-driven, earning the difference between loan yields (10%+ on the women entrepreneur book, market rates on lease/SME) and deposit costs (10-12% on fixed deposits). Distribution is through six branches in Dhaka (HQ, Gulshan, Motijheel), Gazipur, Chattogram, and Sylhet, supplemented by door-to-door service, an online application portal, and financial literacy programs. The company employs 51-100 staff, serves 1,000+ customers, and carries a BBB l / ST-3 credit rating from WASO Credit Rating Company (BD) Ltd. The latest disclosed technology partnership is an October 23, 2024 eKYC agreement with Sheba Technologies Limited. Leadership transitioned in March 2025 with the appointment of Shah Md. Abdul Bari, a 36-year banking veteran formerly of EXIM Bank, as CEO.
First Finance firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- First Finance
- Legal name
- First Finance Limited
- Website
- https://first-finance.com.bd
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
First Finance industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Non-Banking Financial Services
- NAICS
- Finance and Insurance (52)
- SIC
- Finance Lessors (6172), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153), Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162), Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)
- akta.pro primary industry
- SME Term Loans & Growth Capital (FSAKAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Supply Chain Finance (Trade Credit, PO/Inventory Financing) (FSAKAGAE)
Keywords
Where First Finance is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dhaka
- HQ country
- Bangladesh
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices6 records
Markets served
First Finance business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Lease Financing: The company provides lease finance mainly for procurement of industrial machinery, equipment and transport. Financing may be extended up to 70% of the acquisition cost with tenure of 1 to 5 years. This is a core revenue-generating activity for the company.
- Term Loan Financing: Provides term loans for various business purposes including working capital, real estate development, and SME financing. Interest income from loans constitutes primary revenue stream.
- Deposit Products: Accepts fixed deposits, term deposits, monthly savings schemes, and double money benefit deposits from customers. Interest rates range from 10-12% depending on deposit type and tenure.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly/Quarterly Profit Term Deposit - 1 year term |
| Subscription | Annual | Cumulative Term Deposit - Individual Client |
| Subscription | Annual | Cumulative Term Deposit - Corporate Client |
| Subscription | Annual | Double Money Benefit Scheme |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Women Entrepreneur Loan |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | SME Loan |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Car Loan |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
First Finance product offering
Product offeringCore offering
First Finance PLC is a Bangladesh-based Non-Banking Financial Institution (NBFI) that provides asset-backed lease financing (up to 70% of acquisition cost over 1–5 years), term loan financing, real estate and housing financing, and SME financing (including collateral-free loans up to Tk. 25 million and women entrepreneur loans at a preferential 10% rate). On the funding side, the company accepts fixed deposits, monthly savings schemes, and double-money benefit deposits from retail and institutional depositors, operating through 6 branches and an online application portal.
Product overview
First Finance PLC is a Bangladesh-based Non-banking Financial Institution (NBFI) offering a comprehensive suite of financial products and services. The company operates a multi-product platform comprising loan products (Lease Finance, Real Estate Loan, Car Loan, Working Capital Finance, Women Entrepreneur Loan, SME Loan, Home Loan, and SME Refinance Scheme) and deposit products (Fixed Deposit, Double Money Benefit, and Monthly Savings Scheme). Established in 1993 and listed on Dhaka and Chittagong Stock Exchanges since 2003, the company serves corporate, SME, and retail customers through 6 branches with approximately 1,000+ customers and 30+ years of market presence. The product portfolio focuses on lease financing (2-5 year terms), term loan financing, real estate/housing financing, and SME financing, with particular emphasis on women entrepreneurs at preferential rates.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Lease Finance & Sale Lease Back
Quantifiable outcome
- 1000+ trusted customers served
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use First Finance
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
First Finance technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
First Finance partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- WASO Credit Rating Company (BD) Ltd.minorWASO Credit Rating Company conducted the credit rating of First Finance Limited, assigning Long Term Rating of 'BBB l' (Adequate Capacity) and Short Term Rating of 'ST-3' as of February 2021 with validity until February 2022. Outlook: Stable.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
First Finance competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Phoenix Finance & Investments Limited: Smaller Bangladeshi NBFI offering similar lease financing, term loans, and deposit products. Comparable in scale and product mix to First Finance.
- National Finance Limited: Bangladeshi NBFI offering lease financing, term loans, and deposit products. Comparable peer with similar product portfolio and customer base in Bangladesh's NBFI segment.
- Bay Leasing & Investment Limited: Bangladesh NBFI with strong lease financing orientation, directly comparable to First Finance's lease finance franchise. Similar target customers in industrial machinery and equipment financing.
- United Finance Limited: Bangladeshi NBFI providing lease financing, term loans, and SME financing. Direct comparable in size and product offering with similar customer segments.
- IDLC Finance Limited: Largest NBFI in Bangladesh, listed on DSE/CSE, offering similar lease financing, term loans, SME financing, home loans, and deposit products. Most direct competitor with overlapping product portfolio and target segments.
- Premier Leasing & Finance Limited: Bangladesh NBFI focused on lease financing and SME lending. Direct comparable on the lease finance and SME product offerings serving similar industrial clients.
- LankaBangla Finance PLC: Major Bangladeshi NBFI providing corporate finance, SME loans, home loans, and deposit products. Direct competitor with similar product mix and customer segments across urban Bangladesh.
- National Housing Finance and Investment Limited: Bangladesh NBFI focused on housing and real estate financing. Comparable on the home loan and real estate development financing product line.
- Industrial Promotion and Development Company (IPDC): Bangladesh's oldest NBFI offering corporate finance, SME financing, and deposit products. Similar product breadth and target customer base in the Bangladeshi financial services market.
Broad incumbents
- Delta Brac Housing Finance Corporation (DBH): Specialized housing finance NBFI in Bangladesh. Comparable on home loan and real estate financing products, with broader focus on housing finance segment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
First Finance social profiles
Digital presenceFirst Finance financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
First Finance leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
First Finance funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
First Finance 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 First Finance
What does First Finance do?
First Finance PLC is a Bangladesh-based Non-Banking Financial Institution (NBFI) that provides asset-backed lease financing (up to 70% of acquisition cost over 1–5 years), term loan financing, real estate and housing financing, and SME financing (including collateral-free loans up to Tk. 25 million and women entrepreneur loans at a preferential 10% rate). On the funding side, the company accepts fixed deposits, monthly savings schemes, and double-money benefit deposits from retail and institutional depositors, operating through 6 branches and an online application portal.
Is First Finance a public or private company?
First Finance is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was First Finance founded?
First Finance was founded in 1993. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is First Finance based?
First Finance is headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in the Asia region.
How does First Finance make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Lease Financing is the primary driver. The others are term Loan Financing and deposit Products.
Who are First Finance's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Phoenix Finance & Investments Limited, National Finance Limited, Bay Leasing & Investment Limited, United Finance Limited, IDLC Finance Limited, Premier Leasing & Finance Limited, LankaBangla Finance PLC, National Housing Finance and Investment Limited and Industrial Promotion and Development Company (IPDC). Delta Brac Housing Finance Corporation (DBH) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does First Finance have an API?
No public API is recorded for First Finance.
What industry is First Finance in?
First Finance's product category is Non-Banking Financial Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAKAGAB, SME Term Loans & Growth Capital, with a secondary code of FSAKAGAE, Supply Chain Finance (Trade Credit, PO/Inventory Financing). Its NAICS code is 52 and its SIC code is 6172.