Official Launch of Belize’s Credit Bureau
On October 9, 2025, the Central Bank of Belize officially launched the country’s credit bureau—a significant milestone aimed at strengthening Belize’s financial infrastructure and promoting broader access to credit.
As part of this initiative, CRIF Information Services Limited Belize will collect credit information from banks, credit unions, and other lending institutions, and share it with authorized users. This will help lenders assess borrowers’ creditworthiness accurately and fairly while reducing information gaps between lenders and borrowers.
The credit bureau is designed to make credit more accessible and affordable, with a particular focus on helping consumers and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to build a credit history and gain fairer access to financial services. Kareem Michael, Governor of the Central Bank of Belize, described the initiative as:
“A transformative step toward greater financial inclusion and stability in Belize. By helping borrowers build a credit history that demonstrates reliability, it opens the door to fairer access to credit and creates new opportunities for consumers and businesses.”
CRIF will ensure that all credit information is handled securely and in full compliance with Belize’s Credit Reporting Act. CRIF’s role is not merely to collect data, but to foster trust and financial inclusion through fair, compliant, and innovative solutions. Davide Michele Meo, International Markets Senior Director at CRIF, shared a compelling overview of CRIF’s mission in Belize:
“A credit bureau builds trust by helping individuals to establish a credit history and enabling lenders to make informed decisions. Our mission is to improve financial inclusion for consumers, tailoring our approach to each country’s unique context—because 85% of the adaptation process is about understanding people.”
CRIF’s experience in the Caribbean and Asia demonstrates how credit bureaus can transform financial ecosystems. Since the establishment of the credit bureau in Vietnam, credit access has risen from 5% to over 50%, while in the Bahamas, financial inclusion has achieved double-digit growth year after year. Enrico Caruso, D&I Credit Bureau Markets Director at CRIF, commented:
“It is essential to include both positive and negative information to give lenders a complete picture of consumer behavior, reducing risk and helping lenders offer better credit terms. Our commercial model follows global best practices and is based on free data contribution by Credit Information Providers and usage-based pricing for report access. This isn’t just a product; it’s a project that forms a core part of a country’s financial infrastructure. When done right, it benefits everyone. Those who opt out risk being left behind.”
Building the Foundations of a Credit Ecosystem
CRIF’s journey in Belize began on June 23, 2025 with the official authorization to operate as a licensed credit bureau under the supervision of the Central Bank of Belize. This achievement marked the beginning of a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening the country’s financial infrastructure and promoting inclusive access to credit.
The licensing phase laid the foundation for CRIF’s long-term commitment in Belize, combining global expertise with local insight to support financial institutions through advanced risk management and digital transformation solutions.
To build a secure and reliable credit data ecosystem, CRIF organized an introductory credit bureau workshop in Belize, bringing together key stakeholders from banks, credit unions, and lending institutions. Discussions centered on data quality, data security, and the importance of establishing trusted relationships between the credit bureau and financial institutions.
This collaborative effort was essential to ensure that the data feeding the credit bureau would meet the highest standards—supporting financial stability and enabling more accurate credit assessments. The workshop also provided guidance to institutions through the early stages of data contribution, reinforcing the principle that building a credit bureau is a shared journey.
The launch of the credit bureau in Belize marks a significant milestone in the country’s financial development. CRIF’s commitment is both global and local—bringing decades of international expertise while listening closely to the needs of Belize’s institutions. Through collaboration, trust-building, and data-driven innovation, CRIF aims to support a more inclusive, stable, and forward-looking financial ecosystem.
