This paper investigates the nature of information asymmetries in the Brazilian payroll loan market from 2013 to 2021. We develop a demand model that accounts for the effect of consumers private information on borrowing decisions. The novelty of the model is its ability to extract information on unobservable characteristics using publicly available firm-level data. Empirically, we use the variation of market shares and default rates within banks to estimate a utility parameter that represents the sign of selection in the market. Our analysis reveals empirical evidence of advantageous selection within the market, indicating that safer borrowers are more inclined to apply for loans. Additionally, we expand the model to incorporate a distinct parameter for Caixa Econômica, a state-owned bank that exhibited different behavior compared to other financial institutions during the same period. Our analysis reveals a significantly lower selection parameter in magnitude for Caixa.