Title: What Is the Moneylenders Credit Bureau (MLCB) and What Does It Record?
Meta Description: The Moneylenders Credit Bureau records your licensed moneylender loans and repayments. See what it holds, what it leaves out, and how to check your report.
Slug: moneylenders-credit-bureau-mlcb-singapore
Focus Keyword: Moneylenders Credit Bureau
Every time you apply for a loan from a licensed moneylender in Singapore, the lender checks a record you may never have seen. It lists every loan you currently hold with every licensed moneylender, and how you have been repaying them.
That record is kept by the Moneylenders Credit Bureau. Knowing what it contains — and what it does not — explains why two lenders can give you the same answer, why your borrowing limit is what it is, and why your bank sees a different picture altogether.
What is the Moneylenders Credit Bureau?
The Moneylenders Credit Bureau (MLCB) is Singapore’s central database of loans and repayment records with licensed moneylenders. It began operating on 1 March 2016, and since 1 July 2021 it has been run by Credit Bureau (Singapore) Pte Ltd under a designation from the Ministry of Law — a designation the Ministry confirmed would continue in October 2026. It exists so that lenders can assess what a borrower already owes, and so that borrowers do not take on more than they can manage.
The MLCB does not lend money and does not decide who gets a loan. That decision stays with each licensed moneylender. The MLCB supplies the information the decision is based on.
What does the MLCB record?
When you take a loan from a licensed moneylender, the lender submits details of it to the MLCB. These include your name and identity number, the principal, the loan tenure, the interest rate and the number of repayments. Lenders must also update the MLCB whenever you repay, so the record reflects what you currently owe.
From that data, the MLCB produces a document called the Loan Information Report. It shows:
- Your personal and employment details, including your latest income information
- Your existing loans with licensed moneylenders in Singapore, across every lender you have borrowed from, and the type of each loan
- Your repayment status over the past 12 months on each existing loan
- Your self-exclusion status, if you have registered with the MLCB to exclude yourself from borrowing
What the MLCB does not record
The MLCB holds licensed moneylender loans only. It does not collect data on your bank loans, credit cards, credit lines or bank deposits. If you have a car loan with a bank and a credit card balance, neither appears on your Loan Information Report.
This matters in both directions. A clean MLCB record says nothing about your bank borrowing, and a strong bank record says nothing about your moneylender borrowing.
Why do licensed moneylenders check your MLCB report?
The law requires every licensed moneylender to obtain your credit report from the MLCB before granting a loan. We do this for every application, without exception, and the main reason is the borrowing cap.
As of November 2026, the amount you can borrow unsecured is capped across all licensed moneylenders combined, not per lender:
| Annual income | Singapore Citizens and PRs | Foreigners residing in Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Less than S$10,000 | S$3,000 | S$500 |
| S$10,000 to less than S$20,000 | S$3,000 | S$3,000 |
| S$20,000 or more | 6 times monthly income | 6 times monthly income |
Secured loans have no statutory cap. The cap applies to what you owe at any one time, which is why a lender cannot assess an application without knowing what you already owe elsewhere — and the MLCB is the only place that information sits.
A worked example
Illustrative figures only.
Suppose you earn S$2,800 a month, or S$33,600 a year. Your unsecured cap is six times your monthly income: S$16,800 across all licensed moneylenders combined.
Your MLCB report shows two existing loans with other licensed moneylenders, with S$6,200 and S$4,100 still outstanding — S$10,300 in total. The most any licensed moneylender, including us, can lend you unsecured is the difference: S$6,500.
Apply to five lenders and the answer is the same at each, because all five see the same report. As you repay those existing loans and the lenders update the MLCB, the amount you can borrow rises again.
Since 1 March 2024, licensed moneylenders may also obtain reports from certain other credit bureaux prescribed under the Moneylenders Rules, which can give a wider view of your creditworthiness. The MLCB check remains the one the borrowing cap depends on.
How is the MLCB different from Credit Bureau Singapore?
This is where most people get confused, partly because the same company now operates both. They are separate records with separate contributors, and they show different things.
| Moneylenders Credit Bureau | Credit Bureau Singapore credit report | |
|---|---|---|
| Who contributes data | Licensed moneylenders | Banks and participating financial institutions |
| What it covers | Loans from licensed moneylenders | Bank loans, credit cards and other credit facilities |
| Main contents | Existing loans and 12-month repayment status | Account history, enquiries, default records, bankruptcy proceedings and a bureau score |
| Who checks it | Licensed moneylenders, before every loan | Banks and financial institutions |
| Lenders regulated by | Registry of Moneylenders, Ministry of Law | Monetary Authority of Singapore |
If you want a full view of what you owe, you need both reports. Neither one alone shows the whole picture.
How can you get your own MLCB report?
You can purchase your own Loan Information Report online from the official Moneylenders Credit Bureau website, or in person at Credit Bureau (Singapore) Pte Ltd. Licensed moneylenders are not the only ones entitled to see it — the report is about you, and you can request it yourself.
It is worth doing before you apply anywhere. Your report shows exactly what every lender will see: which loans are still open, how much is outstanding, and whether any repayments have been recorded as late. If the existing balance already sits close to your cap, you will know before an application tells you.
Bear in mind that the report is a snapshot. Because lenders update the MLCB as loans are taken and repaid, a report from today may look different next month. If you are planning to apply, check it close to the time you apply rather than weeks before.
What if your MLCB report is wrong?
Because the report is built from what lenders submit, an error at a lender becomes an error on your report — a loan you have repaid still showing as open, for example, or a repayment recorded late that was paid on time.
If something looks wrong, contact the MLCB directly through its hotline at +65 6335 5897 or by email at mlcb.cs@creditbureau.com.sg to raise a dispute. Keep the receipts and statements of account your lender gives you, since they are your evidence of what you paid and when.
Who else can see your MLCB record?
Access is restricted. Licensed moneylenders may use MLCB data only to assess a borrower’s loan application, and as a borrower you can access only your own Loan Information Report — not anyone else’s.
The Ministry of Law and the Registry of Moneylenders also use MLCB data for regulatory purposes, to monitor borrowing and lending across the industry. Nobody else has a right to see it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Moneylenders Credit Bureau?
The Moneylenders Credit Bureau is Singapore’s central record of loans and repayments with licensed moneylenders. Operating since March 2016, and run by Credit Bureau (Singapore) Pte Ltd under a Ministry of Law designation since July 2021, it lets lenders check what a borrower already owes before granting a loan.
Will my bank loans appear on my MLCB report?
No. Your MLCB Loan Information Report shows only loans contributed by licensed moneylenders in Singapore. Bank loans, credit cards and bank deposits are not collected by the MLCB. Those appear instead on a separate credit report from Credit Bureau Singapore, compiled from banks and financial institutions.
Can I borrow more by applying to several licensed moneylenders?
No. The unsecured borrowing cap applies across all licensed moneylenders combined, and every lender must check your MLCB report before granting a loan. Each one sees the same outstanding balances, so applying to more lenders does not raise the amount you can borrow.
Does the MLCB decide whether I get a loan?
No. The Moneylenders Credit Bureau supplies information but does not make lending decisions. Each licensed moneylender in Singapore assesses your application itself, using your MLCB report alongside your income, existing commitments and ability to repay, within the limits set by law.
How do I fix a mistake on my MLCB report?
Contact the Moneylenders Credit Bureau directly to raise a dispute, by hotline at +65 6335 5897 or by email at mlcb.cs@creditbureau.com.sg. Keep the receipts and statements of account from your lender, as these are your evidence of what you paid and when.
The bottom line
The Moneylenders Credit Bureau records every loan you hold with licensed moneylenders and how you have been repaying them. It does not record your bank borrowing, and it does not decide who gets a loan — but every licensed moneylender must check it before lending, because it is how the borrowing cap is enforced.
Request your own report before you apply. It shows you what every lender will see, and how much room you actually have.
GOLD ALLIANZE CAPITAL PRIVATE LIMITED is a licensed moneylender (Licence No. 39/2026) regulated by the Registry of Moneylenders, Ministry of Law. You can verify any moneylender’s licence on MinLaw’s list of licensed moneylenders before you apply. Borrow only what you need and are confident you can repay on time — late fees and late interest add up quickly. You can work through repayment figures for your own situation using the loan calculator on this site.