Government Moves to Rename The DFC 

The Government of Belize today introduced the Development Finance Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2026 in the House of Representatives. The bill, presented by Prime Minister John Briceño, proposes changing the name of the Development Finance Corporation, commonly known as DFC, to the Development Bank of Belize. According to the Prime Minister, the amendment is intended to align the institution’s name more closely with its legal status and role as a development-focused banking institution.

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “I rise to introduce a bill for an act to amend the Development Finance Corporation Act chapter 279 of the substantive laws of Belize revised edition 2020 to rename the Development Finance Corporation and to provide for matters connected there with or incidental to. Mr. Speaker, I know a lot of people are wondering why is it that we want to change the name. It’s really a straightforward amendment that we’re doing. All we’re doing is to amend it, to change the name from the DFC to a name as the Development Bank of Belize. So from the Development Finance Corporation to the Development Bank of Belize. Because over the years that’s the role that the DFC has taken over the role as a development bank. We are convinced that this would be a positive move because we need to really align with the legal identity of the cooperation which is currently under statutory obligations. Now, Mr. Speaker, we have expanded the DFC’s powers and accredited instruments so that with the change they will align more closely with that of a bank, more specifically, a development bank. That’s what’s key here. 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. In renaming the DFC to the Development Bank of Belize we will be rebranding and modernizing the DFC. We will align this institution with other regional banks, like the Development Bank of Jamaica and we are confident that it will better reposition the DFC, build confidence, and modernize this institution. I believe this is something that all of us can and should support.” 

The Development Finance Corporation was established in Belize in 1963, and provides micro sector enterprise loans, home loans, student Loans, productive sector loans. In 2016, DFC began offering renewable energy and energy efficiency loans to businesses. DFC currently operates as the only Development Bank in the country.