Tyme Group named to TIME100 companies list with 17.5 million customers across two markets

Tyme Group, the Singapore-headquartered parent of South Africa's TymeBank and the Philippines' GoTyme Bank, was named on 26 June 2025 in TIME's list of the 100 most influential companies of 2025.

According to TIME's profile, the digital banking group serves about 17.5 million retail customers across South Africa and the Philippines and adds roughly 450,000 new customers each month. About 75% of TymeBank's customers in South Africa have low incomes, while GoTyme Bank reports that 45% of its customers fall into the low-income category.

KIOSK-LED DISTRIBUTION

The group operates without traditional branches, instead combining its digital platforms with banking kiosks placed in grocery stores and other retail outlets, alongside bank ambassadors. "You can walk into a grocery store in South Africa and open a bank account with us in under three minutes," Rachel Freeman, Tyme's chief growth officer, told TIME.

TymeBank launched in South Africa in 2019, and GoTyme Bank began operating in the Philippines in October 2022.

NUBANK-LED FUNDING AND EXPANSION PLANS

In December 2024 Tyme Group raised $250 million in a Series D funding round led by Brazil's Nubank, which invested $150 million and became a minority shareholder. The M&G Catalyst Fund contributed $50 million and existing shareholders a further $50 million. TIME reported that the round gave Tyme unicorn status, with a valuation above $1 billion.

At the time of the funding round, Tyme said it served 15 million customers and intended to use the funds to expand into Vietnam and Indonesia. TIME reported that the group plans to expand into further South-East Asian markets, beginning with Indonesia.