Lendo Attracts $200 Million from Quantic to Finance Saudi SMEs

Saudi Arabia-based Lendo has secured institutional investment of up to SAR 750 million ($200 million) from Vienna-headquartered Quantic Financial Solutions to finance working capital for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Kingdom. The Shariah-compliant debt crowdfunding platform announced the agreement as it participated in Money20/20 Middle East in Riyadh, a move that the company says will strengthen its capacity to provide financing and expand the range of financial products available through its platform.

"The partnership provides a channel for international institutional capital to reach Saudi SMEs through a locally regulated financing platform," Lendo said in a statement accompanying the funding announcement.

The pact tasks Quantic Financial Solutions with overseeing the capital allocated to the program and with efforts to develop Shariah-compliant investment products backed by the financed assets, aimed at attracting international investors. Lendo operates under the supervision of the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and uses a Shariah-compliant debt crowdfunding model to connect capital providers with SMEs needing working capital.

Deal mechanics and strategic rationale

• Amount: Up to SAR 750 million (approximately $200 million).
• Investor: Quantic Financial Solutions, an asset management firm based in Vienna, Austria.
• Recipient/platform: Lendo, a SAMA-regulated, Shariah-compliant debt crowdfunding platform.
• Use of proceeds: Primarily to finance working capital needs among Saudi SMEs and to expand Lendo’s financing solutions.

By channeling international institutional funding through a locally regulated platform, the partnership is positioned to broaden access to capital for SMEs while offering structured, Shariah-compliant vehicles for foreign investors. Quantic will both manage the program’s capital and work to structure investment products that sit on top of the financed receivables or loan pools, according to the announcement.

The timing of the agreement — announced during Money20/20 Middle East in Riyadh — highlights how regional fintech gatherings are serving as catalysts for capital flows and commercial partnerships. Lendo’s model, overseen by SAMA, leverages debt crowdfunding to match pooled investor capital to business financing needs, a configuration that the company says fits domestic regulatory frameworks and Shariah principles.

Outlook

Lendo plans to deploy the new funding toward meeting working capital requirements for SMEs while expanding its array of financing solutions as demand grows among Saudi businesses. The collaboration with Quantic also signals growing interest from international asset managers in creating Shariah-compliant products that provide exposure to Middle East private-credit opportunities.

In broader terms, the deal aligns with ongoing national programs to deepen financial-sector access and diversify funding channels for smaller companies, and it contributes to efforts under Saudi Vision 2030 and the Financial Sector Development Program to expand the Kingdom’s fintech and SME financing ecosystems. If successfully executed, the partnership could offer a repeatable model for routing institutional capital into locally regulated, Shariah-compliant SME finance platforms.