Businesses in the UAE can now borrow as little as Dh10,000 to fund cash flow, payroll or expansion, after Botim launched a digital lending service for micro and small enterprises on Tuesday.
Botim Business SME Lending offers financing of Dh10,000 to Dh500,000, with repayment terms of up to 12 months. The money can be used for cash flow, payroll, equipment and business expansion.
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The service is being launched with fintech and payments provider Geidea, which will extend the offer to eligible merchants in its UAE network. The first rollout, supported by Geidea and Botim’s wider partners, is estimated to reach more than 30,000 merchants.
The financing is aimed at micro and small businesses, including limited liability companies (LLCs) and sole proprietorships.
Companies said AI-native tools assess risk using transaction data, cash flow insights and credit behaviour. This information is provided during onboarding or, where available, through participating ecosystem partners. The company says this allows faster eligibility checks and loan amounts that better reflect each firm’s operating profile and cash flow cycle.
Small firms form the backbone of the UAE economy, making up about 94 per cent of all businesses and contributing more than 60 per cent of non-oil GDP. Many still struggle to get timely working capital because of strict eligibility criteria and lengthy application processes, according to the announcement.
Dr Tariq Bin Hendi, CEO of Botim, said micro enterprises make up around 70 per cent of SMEs in the UAE, and many owners are accessing formal business finance for the first time.
“We want to build around the reality of how these businesses operate, removing unnecessary friction so owners can access the capital they need and focus on growing their businesses,” he said.
He added that the UAE aims to reach one million SMEs by 2030, and that Botim’s role is to support that growth with technology.
Pankaj Kundra, CEO of Geidea UAE, said the partnership would give merchants “a more connected and streamlined experience”. “By bringing together payments and funding, we are helping businesses access the tools they need to invest, expand and capture new opportunities,” he said.
Source: Khaleej Times