Banking, Brands & Big Bucks
This week’s financings spotlight SME banking scale-ups, embedded brand cards, and consumer credit platforms chasing machine-banking throughput. Investors are betting on infrastructure that widens access, automates workflows, and globalizes growth.
Key Highlights:
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Saudi SME fintech Hala secures $157M, a clear sign that full-suite services for freelancers and MSMEs are scaling fast in MENA.
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UK-based Tide raises $120M to deepen SME banking dominance in India and Europe.
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Cardless and Aven show US appetite for consumer credit innovation — one via brand partnerships, the other via home-equity-driven machine banking.
Top 5 Deals (9/16-9/22/2025)
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Hala – Saudi Arabia (Series B)
Overview: Riyadh-based fintech expanding an SME/freelancer banking suite (accounts, payments, cards) across the Kingdom and beyond.
Amount Raised: US$157 million
Lead Investors: TPG and Sanabil Investments (PIF division). -
Tide – UK / Global (Growth / Equity + Secondary)
Overview: Fintech business banking + business management platform targeting SMEs and microenterprises; strong presence in India and Europe.
Amount Raised: US$120 million
Lead Investors: TPG; existing investor Apax Digital Funds. -
Speedchain – USA (Growth financing: equity + debt)
Overview: Fintech automation platform scaling payments/workflows with a combined equity + credit package to fuel expansion.
Amount Raised: US$111 million (equity & debt)
Lead / Notable Investors: Community Investment Management (debt); equity from GTM Fund, Village Global, TTV Capital, K5 Global, Tandem, Emigrant Bank. -
Aven – USA (Series E)
Overview: Consumer credit & home-equity lender advancing a full-service “machine banking” platform; proceeds to scale product and distribution.
Amount Raised: US$110 million
Lead Investor: Khosla Ventures (round values firm at $2.2B). -
Cardless – USA (Series C)
Overview: AI / API-enabled platform enabling brands to launch co-branded/embedded credit cards; includes underwriting, rewards infrastructure.
Amount Raised: US$60 million
Lead Investors: Spark Capital; participation from Activant Capital, Industry Ventures, Pear VC.
