RIFD secures strategic investment from Antler
Founded in 2024 by Abdulrahman AlDakheel, RIFD facilitates institutional financing for SME suppliers by securitising receivables from large, creditworthy corporations—unlocking supply chain liquidity while maintaining a fully Shariah-compliant structure.
The investment accelerates RIFD's mission to build Saudi Arabia's first institutional-grade infrastructure for receivables securitisation, reducing SME financing costs and providing risk-adjusted returns to investors.
Press release:
RIFD, the first Saudi-born platform enabling institutional securitisation of SME trade receivables, has secured a strategic investment from global early-stage venture capital firm Antler.
This milestone accelerates RIFD's mission to build the country's first Shariah-compliant securitisation infrastructure—reducing SME financing costs while unlocking high-quality, risk-adjusted returns for institutional investors in an untapped asset class.
This follows RIFD's recent selection by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) into its prestigious Tech Champions 5 program, reinforcing its position as one of the Kingdom's most promising emerging fintech startups.
'SME credit in Saudi Arabia surpassed SAR 351.7 billion in Q4 2024, growing over 27.6% year-on-year. Yet, receivables-based financing accounts still account for less than 6%,' said Abdulrahman Aldakheel, CEO of RIFD.
'This billion-riyal gap is a massive opportunity. At RIFD, we're building the infrastructure to unlock this capital—driving SME growth while offering institutional investors secure, Shariah-compliant exposure to real economic value. With Antler's backing, we are poised to scale our vision across Saudi Arabia and the wider region,' Abdulrahman Aldakheel, CEO of RIFD, added.
Antler's investment not only validates RIFD's model globally but also brings operational expertise, strategic partnerships, and access to a world-class network of follow-on investors with a track record of scaling high-growth startups. As part of Antler's portfolio, RIFD will receive hands-on guidance as it accelerates expansion across Saudi Arabia and the MENA region.
With its first pilot transaction underway, multiple institutional partnerships in progress, and strong support from Antler and the MCIT Tech Champions program, RIFD is rapidly emerging as a key player in the Kingdom's financial transformation.
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