logo
Lendo secures $690mln facility led by J.P. Morgan to boost SME financing in Saudi Arabia

Lendo secures $690mln facility led by J.P. Morgan to boost SME financing in Saudi Arabia

Zawya30-01-2025
RIYADH — Lendo, the leading debt crowdfunding platform in Saudi Arabia, has secured a USD 690 million (SAR 2.6 billion) warehouse facility led by J.P. Morgan. Supported by Fintech Saudi, this milestone underscores the growth in Saudi Arabia's fintech sector and the vast opportunity in SME financing in the economy.
The facility is expected to contribute to an increase in job creation in the Kingdom, demonstrating Lendo's commitment to domestic economic growth and employment.
'This landmark facility represents a transformative moment for Lendo and the Saudi fintech ecosystem," said Osama Alraee, CEO and co-founder of Lendo. "The strong backing from global financial institutions such as J.P. Morgan validates our innovative approach to SME financing and positions us to expand our impact in the Saudi market significantly. This facility will accelerate our mission of boosting SMEs growth while contributing to the Kingdom's Vision 2030 goals.'
J.P. Morgan's facility will be strategically deployed to increase Lendo's lending capacity, introduce more innovative products, and expand Lendo's SME coverage in the Kingdom. The development aligns with Saudi Vision 2030's goal of increasing SME lending from 4% in 2018 to 20% by 2030.
George Deves, Co-Head of Northern European ABS at J.P. Morgan said, 'We are pleased to collaborate with Lendo on this landmark transaction. A strong and fast-growing SME sector is vital for the local economy and this financing will help support the strategic initiative to boost SME lending in Saudi Arabia.'
The facility also signals the growing confidence of international investors in Saudi Arabia's fintech sector and its regulatory framework.
Lendo has successfully raised two investment rounds to date. The company's last USD 28 million Series B investment round was led by Sanabil Investments, a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
About Lendo
Lendo is Saudi Arabia's first crowdlending marketplace licensed and regulated by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) to connect qualified businesses seeking financing with investors seeking short-term returns.
Founded by Osama Alraee (CEO) and Mohamed Jawabri (COO) in 2019 after starting in SAMA's Regulatory Sandbox, Lendo has facilitated over SAR 2.5 billion (USD 667 million) in financing through more than 5,000 transactions, generating SAR 125 million (USD 33.3 million) in returns for investors. Backed by Sanabil Investments, Lendo provides secure, efficient, and Shariah-compliant financing solutions that support Saudi Arabia's growing SME sector, aligned with Vision 2030's economic diversification goals. For more information, visit https://lendo.sa/ or contact: marketing@lendo.sa
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

NSG launches KSA’s first Earth Observation Marketplace
NSG launches KSA’s first Earth Observation Marketplace

Broadcast Pro

timea day ago

  • Broadcast Pro

NSG launches KSA’s first Earth Observation Marketplace

Operated by UP42 the Earth Observation platform was launched to meet the growing demand for high-resolution satellite imagery and space analytics across key sectors. Neo Space Group (NSG) has announced the launch of the Earth Observation (EO) Marketplace, the Kingdom’s first dedicated EO data marketplace, powered by UP42 – a company fully owned by Neo Space Group (NSG). The platform is designed to meet the growing demand for advanced EO and geospatial data solutions. The group stated that the EO Marketplace will bring together a growing network of EO data providers and value-added service providers offering advanced geospatial analytics and data processing capabilities. The platform is built to empower public sector agencies, Saudi companies and international users by offering a wide range of high-resolution satellite imagery and EO data products. It aims to serve as a comprehensive and simplified one-stop shop to support solution developers and service providers and is fully equipped to meet the future needs of government entities within the Kingdom. The platform is also expected to drive the expansion of EO data availability across a range of applications in key sectors, including environment, infrastructure, energy, real estate, mining, transportation, logistics, agriculture and others. This launch aligns closely with the initiatives and goals of Saudi Vision 2030. The launch follows the completion of NSG’s acquisition of UP42 GmbH from Airbus originally disclosed in December 2024. UP42 is a next-generation digital platform for EO that leverages cloud computing technology to provide leading solutions for accessing and analyzing Earth observation data. It enables seamless discovery, acquisition and management of EO data and large-scale image processing via unified formats, intuitive tools and fully automated workflows. The platform is designed to comply with the regulatory requirements of the Kingdom and is hosted on a secure and reliable infrastructure. Martijn Blanken, CEO of Neo Space Group, said: 'The launch of the EO Marketplace reflects the Kingdom’s remarkable trajectory of growth and the increasing demand for EO data. Today, more than ever, EO data plays a pivotal role in supporting Saudi Arabia’s transformational Vision 2030 — from infrastructure development and urban expansion to optimized resource management. Given the Kingdom’s vast geography — spanning over 2.15 million square kilometers, nearly the size of Western Europe — this platform will serve as both a valuable marketplace and decision-making tool across a wide range of sectors.' Frank Salzgeber, Acting Deputy Governor for the Space Sector at the Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST), commented: 'Value creation is shifting downstream in the EO supply chain — where AI technologies intersect with space data. The market is now at a perfect inflection point.” He added: “Alongside enhancing national capabilities, the platform is expected to accelerate the adoption of space technologies in the Kingdom. It reflects our national priorities: fostering technological innovation, ensuring regulatory compliance, and building secure infrastructure.' Neo Space Group (NSG) also expressed its deep appreciation for the continuous guidance and support of the Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST), which has played a vital role throughout this journey — from licensing and enabling the platform to ensuring strategic alignment.

Wealth Fund Cleans House of Key US Tech and Logistics Stocks
Wealth Fund Cleans House of Key US Tech and Logistics Stocks

Arabian Post

time2 days ago

  • Arabian Post

Wealth Fund Cleans House of Key US Tech and Logistics Stocks

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, one of the world's largest sovereign wealth funds with nearly $1 trillion in assets, has completely divested from six prominent U. S.-listed firms during the second quarter of 2025. Filings reveal that PIF no longer holds any shares in Meta, Shopify, PayPal, Alibaba, Nu Holdings or FedEx. At the end of March, the fund still held significant stakes—for example, nearly 668,000 class A shares of Meta and 1.76 million shares of PayPal—yet by the close of June, it had fully exited these positions. This strategic shift resulted in a reduction of PIF's disclosed U. S. equity holdings from $25.5 billion in Q1 to $23.8 billion in Q2, including call options. The divestments occurred during a period when U. S. markets were rebounding from April's losses tied to tariff policy uncertainty. This recalibration aligns with PIF's broader Vision 2030 mandate, under which the fund is increasingly directing its capital toward domestic megaprojects like NEOM, as well as global sectors such as tourism, clean energy, logistics, and elite sports investments. ADVERTISEMENT In the second quarter, PIF's heaviest exposures remained in sectors aligned with innovation and entertainment. According to its Q2 13F filing, the top holdings comprised Uber, Electronic Arts, Lucid and Take-Two Interactive, maintaining a concentrated portfolio weighted toward high-growth technology and gaming assets. By contrast, positions in firms like Meta, PayPal and Alibaba—which once formed a portion of its U. S. portfolio—were eliminated entirely. The timing suggests a deliberate shift away from large-cap tech and fintech, perhaps reflecting changing priorities amid global market volatility and evolving geopolitical considerations. Exiting stakes in Meta and Shopify, which represented substantial tech exposure, signals a pivot toward sectors considered more resilient or strategically aligned with long-term national ambitions. PIF's move exemplifies its dual-track strategy: while shedding exposure to certain U. S.-listed technology and logistics firms, it continues to cement core holdings in key global brands and innovative sectors. As PIF steers more resources toward domestic transformation and sustainable sectors, its shifting portfolio underscores how sovereign wealth strategy can reflect broader economic and policy imperatives.

ADNOC's AI Push Spurs H1 2025 Earnings Surge
ADNOC's AI Push Spurs H1 2025 Earnings Surge

Arabian Post

time2 days ago

  • Arabian Post

ADNOC's AI Push Spurs H1 2025 Earnings Surge

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai ADNOC Group's six publicly listed entities posted a combined net profit of USD 4.7 billion for the first half of 2025, underscoring how the widespread deployment of advanced artificial intelligence across operations has sharpened efficiency and underpinned robust growth. At the heart of this transformation lies MEERAi, ADNOC's proprietary AI platform. It is deployed across ADNOC Gas, ADNOC Distribution, ADNOC Drilling, ADNOC Logistics & Services, Fertiglobe and Borouge, delivering real-time, data-driven insights that are elevating decision-making and operational precision across the board. ADVERTISEMENT ADNOC Gas achieved a record Q2 net income of USD 1.385 billion, marking a 16 per cent year-on-year rise, while EBITDA increased 8 per cent to USD 2.256 billion, propelled by surging local demand and operational prowess. Investors will see the payoff as the board approved an interim dividend of USD 1.792 billion, up 5 per cent, due for disbursement in September 2025. MEERAi's impact was central in guiding the board's strategic decisions. ADNOC Distribution delivered its highest first-half EBITDA to date—USD 566 million, up 10 percent—with net profit climbing 12.2 percent to USD 358 million. Fuel volumes surged to a record 7.62 billion litres, and non-fuel retail gross profit lifted 14.9 percent. The AI-driven enhancements include predictive fuel-demand forecasting, intelligent assortment planning and hyper-personalised customer offerings. The company introduced MEERAi to its board for real-time strategic oversight, and it expects to distribute a USD 350 million dividend in October 2025. ADNOC Drilling also delivered standout performance, with management attributing its ability to scale through diverse energy cycles to advanced technologies including AI. The board approved a USD 217 million second-quarter dividend in August 2025. The company is also pursuing regional expansion, including a majority stake acquisition in SLB's land drilling business across Kuwait and Oman. Borouge's AI, digitalisation and technology programme generated USD 307 million in value, including an AI-powered control room in collaboration with Honeywell and integration with MEERAi. New product innovations such as medical-grade polyolefins and recyclable packaging also featured prominently. Meanwhile, ADNOC's broader push to harness AI is also playing a central role in its clean-energy pivot. Following earlier investments in AI tools like RoboWell and AR360, which generated USD 500 million in value and reduced around one million tonnes of CO₂ emissions between 2022 and 2023, the company is now deploying AI to advance low-carbon energy frontiers including hydrogen and carbon management, in partnership with entities such as SOCAR, Microsoft and Masdar. Across all six listed companies, the near-term financial performance echoes the effectiveness of ADNOC's strategy of embedding AI across both core operations and emerging markets. The unified deployment of MEERAi is not just enhancing control-room functions, but reshaping boardroom dynamics, driving smarter strategy execution, operational optimisation, emissions reduction and product innovation. Key players in this transformation include the leadership of ADNOC Distribution, championing digital retail evolution; ADNOC Drilling's CEO Abdulla Ateya Al Messabi, who has publicly credited AI for the company's resilience and growth momentum; and the broader ADNOC executive team, aligning technology and energy transition goals. Their collective efforts are reinforcing ADNOC's position as a global energy player committed to leveraging AI for sustainable value creation.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store