Valu has signed a short-term financing agreement of up to EGP3 billion, equivalent to about US$63.6 million, with National Bank of Egypt, strengthening its funding base as it expands regionally.

Founded in 2017, Valu operates a lifestyle-focused fintech platform offering consumer and business financial products. The company pioneered buy-now, pay-later services in the Middle East and North Africa and has since added investment products, savings solutions, instant cash redemption, and payroll-linked services.

The new facility will support Valu's growth plans and follows its recent market entry into Jordan. The company said the funding will provide additional liquidity to scale operations and expand its product offering.

For the National Bank of Egypt, the agreement aligns with its strategy to back the non-banking financial sector and expand access to consumer financing. The bank has increased support for fintechs as part of broader efforts to promote financial inclusion and modernize Egypt's financial system.

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The deal adds to a growing pipeline of bank-fintech partnerships as lenders seek exposure to digital consumer finance while fintechs tap balance-sheet funding.

Key Takeaways

Valu's EGP3 billion facility highlights how traditional banks are positioning themselves within Egypt's fast-growing consumer finance market. Rather than competing directly, banks are increasingly providing funding to fintech platforms that already control customer relationships and digital distribution. Buy-now, pay-later remains a key driver. Demand for installment-based spending has grown as inflation pressures household budgets and consumers seek flexible payment options. Fintechs like Valu offer banks indirect exposure to this demand without building new retail platforms. The timing matters. Egypt's regulators have pushed to formalize and supervise non-bank financial services, making bank funding more viable. Short-term credit lines allow fintechs to manage liquidity while scaling regionally, as Valu has done with its move into Jordan. For the banking sector, these partnerships diversify loan books toward higher-yield consumer finance while supporting financial inclusion goals. The challenge will be credit quality and risk management as BNPL volumes grow. If managed well, such structures could become a core funding model for Egypt's consumer fintech ecosystem.