Why is the Government Renaming DFC?

The Government of Belize introduced legislation in the House of Representatives to rename the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to the Development Bank of Belize.

The Development Finance Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2026, tabled by Prime Minister John Briceño, proposes the name change to better reflect the institution’s role and legal identity.

“All we’re doing is to amend it, to change the name from the DFC to the Development Bank of Belize,” Briceño told the House. “Because over the years that’s the role that the DFC has taken the role as a development bank.”

The Prime Minister said the amendment would also expand the DFC’s powers and accredited instruments to more closely align with those of a bank. He was careful to distinguish the institution from commercial lenders. “This is not just a regular bank, like Heritage Bank, or Belize Bank, or Atlantic Bank. It is a development bank a bank that’s there to help the development of this country,” he said.

Briceño added that the rebranding would modernise the institution and bring it in line with regional counterparts such as the Development Bank of Jamaica.

The DFC was established in 1963 and currently offers micro enterprise loans, home loans, student loans, productive sector loans, and renewable energy financing.