valU
valU is an Egypt-listed BNPL and consumer finance fintech (subsidiary of EFG Hermes) offering mobile-first payments, lending, cards, and investment products to consumers and SMEs across Egypt and Jordan.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersGîza, Egypt
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What valU does
valU is an Egypt-headquartered consumer finance and Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) fintech operating as a subsidiary of EFG Hermes (EFG Holding). Founded in 2017 and listed on the Egyptian Exchange in 2025 under the ticker VALU.CA — the first consumer-finance fintech on the EGX — the company runs a mobile-first platform offering a full suite of products: U (BNPL across 9,000+ stores and 1,500+ e-commerce platforms), prepaid and co-branded credit cards (with Bank NXT), Shift (auto financing), Ulter (luxury financing up to EGP 60M), Sha2labaz (cash advance), Loans, Shop'it (integrated marketplace), Flip (e-gift cards), Valu Invest (money market fund via Azimut and trading via EFG Hermes ONE), and Valu Business (B2B payroll and employee benefits for SMEs). Operations span Egypt and Jordan (launched May 2026 after obtaining a Central Bank of Jordan Specialized Finance license), with Saudi Arabia expansion pursued via a joint venture with FAS Labs.
The business model blends transaction fees (merchant take-rate on BNPL purchases), interest income on consumer financing (APR 0–50%), card interchange and merchant fees, and capital markets revenue from a recurring securitization program (20th bond issuance completed December 2025). Customer acquisition is product-led through the Valu app with channel partnerships (Amazon Egypt checkout, Fawry myfawry app, Bank NXT), merchant point-of-sale distribution, and a regional Jordan go-to-market stack (Network International, MEPS, HyperPay, PayTabs). Capital structure is unusually diversified for the segment — USD 400.8M authorized limits across 28 financial institutions, USD 12M EBRD green-finance loan (June 2026), an EGP 3B National Bank of Egypt facility (January 2026), and the EFG for Securitization program.
FY25 gross revenues reached EGP 5.6B (+71% YoY) with net income of EGP 764M (+81%), 8.7M transactions on EGP 24.5B GMV, and an NPL ratio held to 0.98%. Q1 2026 sustained the trajectory with USD 28.7M revenue (+40% YoY), USD 4.17M net income (+78%), and 26.5% Egypt BNPL market share on 924,000+ activated customers. The company has earned sustained industry recognition including Forbes ME Top Fintech listings (2023, 2024, 2025), Deloitte Technology Fast 50 (2026), and multiple 'Best BNPL — Egypt/MENA' awards across 2022–2025.
valU firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- valU
- Legal name
- U Consumer Finance S.A.E (يو للتمويل الاستهلاكي ش.م.م)
- Website
- https://valu.com.eg
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- valU is an Egypt-listed BNPL and consumer finance fintech (subsidiary of EFG Hermes) offering mobile-first payments, lending, cards, and investment products to consumers and SMEs across Egypt and Jordan.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
valU industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Consumer Finance (BNPL)
- NAICS
- Sales Financing (52222)
- SIC
- Personal Credit Institutions (6141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) Platforms (BPAMAFAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- BNPL Consumer Apps & Wallets (Discovery, Management) (FSAGAIAG), In-Store / In-Person BNPL (POS) (FSAKACAB), Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) (CRAFALAD)
Keywords
Where valU is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gîza
- HQ country
- Egypt
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
valU business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- BNPL Transaction Fees: Valu earns transaction fees from merchants for facilitating installment payments. Customers can shop at partner merchants using Valu's BNPL service with repayment terms up to 60 months.
- Consumer Financing Interest: Interest income from consumer loans and financing plans, with APR ranging from 0% to 50% depending on merchant partnerships and promotional offers.
- Securitized Bond Issuances: Valu securitizes its receivables portfolio and issues bonds to institutional investors. The company completed its 20th bond issuance worth EGP 1.1 billion in December 2025 and 8th issuance worth EGP 888 million in March 2024.
- Card Transaction Fees: Revenue from prepaid card and co-branded credit card transactions, including merchant fees and interchange revenue.
- Green Consumer Finance: Specialized financing for energy-efficient products and green technologies, supported by EBRD funding.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | U (BNPL) - Flexible payment plans up to 60 months |
| Subscription | Monthly | Loans - Up to EGP 25 million with competitive rates |
| Subscription | Monthly | Ulter - Luxury financing up to EGP 60 million |
| Subscription | Monthly | Shift - Auto financing with 40% minimum down payment |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Prepaid Card - Usage-based with 60-month repayment |
| Subscription | Monthly | Green Finance - EBRD-funded energy-efficient financing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels7 records
valU product offering
Product offeringCore offering
valU is a mobile-first fintech platform offering Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) and consumer finance solutions, including installment plans at over 9,000 retail stores and 1,500+ e-commerce platforms, prepaid and co-branded credit cards, auto and luxury financing, cash advances, an integrated marketplace, and investment services. The platform serves individual consumers and SMEs across Egypt and Jordan with flexible repayment terms ranging from 1 to 84 months.
Product overview
Valu is a comprehensive fintech platform offering a full suite of financial solutions across consumer finance, payments, and investment. The platform operates a platform-plus-products architecture centered on its BNPL core product 'U,' complemented by a diverse product portfolio including Valu Cards (prepaid and co-branded credit cards with Bank NXT), Shop'it marketplace, Sha2labaz cash advance, Loans, Flip e-gift cards, Shift auto financing, Ulter luxury financing, Invest, and Valu Business B2B solutions. The products serve individual consumers and SMEs across Egypt and Jordan, enabling payments, purchases, borrowing, and investment through a mobile-first digital platform with over 9,000 retail partners and 1,500+ e-commerce integrations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- U: Buy Now Pay Later service offering flexible financing plans from 1 to 60 months across over 9,000 stores and online platforms
- Shop'IT
- Flip
- Sha2labaz
- Valu Cards
- Ulter
- Shift
- Loans
- Valu Invest
- Valu Business
Products and services
- U (BNPL) ValU's flagship BNPL solution providing customizable financing plans for purchases at over 7,500 retail stores and 1,500+ websites and apps, with repayment terms from 1 to 60 months.
- Valu Prepaid Card Prepaid card enabling users to shop anywhere in Egypt using their full Valu credit limit, with flexible repayment up to 60 months. Top-up options include Valu limit, Flip, cashback, and Instapay.
- Valu x Bank NXT Co-Branded Credit Card Co-branded credit card with Bank NXT offering a separate credit limit, exclusive monthly benefits, up to 58 days grace period, and Credit Shield protection; accepted domestically and internationally.
- Shop'it Marketplace Integrated marketplace within the Valu app aggregating local and international brands, enabling users to browse, compare prices, and purchase directly while earning cashback and accessing exclusive in-app discounts.
- Sha2labaz Digital cash advance and invoice redemption solution enabling users to instantly redeem cash from paid invoices onto their Valu prepaid card, with repayment terms up to 60 months and instant loans up to EGP 50,000.
- Loans Instant, restriction-free consumer financing for needs such as home upgrades, education, or travel, with loan amounts up to EGP 25 million, repayment terms up to 60 months, and same-day approval with 24-hour disbursement.
- Flip E-gift card product enabling users to send digital gift cards to friends and family, redeemable at over 9,000 merchants within the Valu network, with instant delivery even to non-Valu users.
- Shift (Auto Financing) Auto financing solution enabling users to purchase vehicles from any showroom, friend, or relative using only their National ID, with loan approval within 2 hours, down payments starting from 40%, and tenure up to 84 months.
- Ulter (Luxury Financing) Luxury financing solution providing the highest credit limits in Egypt (up to EGP 60 million) for luxury purchases including high-end fashion, electronics, dream vacations, home renovations, and exotic cars, with repayment terms up to 60 months.
- Valu Invest Investment platform providing access to AZValu money market fund (in partnership with Azimut) with daily compounding returns, and EFG Hermes ONE for trading across 35+ MENA and global markets with real-time portfolio monitoring.
- Valu Business B2B platform for SMEs offering workforce and operations solutions including payroll system (automated payroll processing), payroll card (digital salary disbursement), and employee benefits (financial and non-financial benefits management).
- Valu Merchant App Smartphone-based merchant payment solution utilizing QR technology to enable fast, secure, and contactless merchant transactions, replacing traditional POS hardware.
- Instant Cashback Loyalty Programme Instant cashback loyalty programme providing immediate cashback rewards after eligible transactions across Valu's merchant network, prepaid card top-ups, and in-app checkout services, with earned rewards valid for one year.
Quantifiable outcome
- 926,000 activated customers and 26.5% market share in Egypt's BNPL market (Q1 2026)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use valU
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
valU technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability4 records
Feature7 records
valU partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor, core and flagship.
- HyperPaymajorValu Jordan and HyperPay announced a strategic partnership to expand BNPL solutions across Jordan's merchant network. HyperPay handles merchant onboarding and technical system integration while Valu focuses on relationship management and customized BNPL solutions.
- Network International JordanmajorStrategic partnership to offer BNPL solutions to customers through NI Jordan's merchant network. The partnership enables merchants to activate Valu's flexible payment solutions via POS terminals and QR codes.
- MEPS (Middle East Payment Services)majorValu Jordan partnered with MEPS to expand BNPL across physical retail and e-commerce channels in Jordan. MEPS's national payments infrastructure connects over 1,400 ATMs and thousands of POS terminals.
- PayTabs GroupmajorPartnership with PayTabs Group to enable BNPL services through PayTabs's payment orchestration platform for online merchants in Jordan.
- FawrymajorPartnership to integrate Valu's flexible payment and financing solutions into the myfawry app, allowing users to access installment and financing options when paying for services through the application.
- KiweminorKiwe, backed by EFG Hermes, Valu, and other investors, received CBE approval to launch Egypt's first social money features. Valu is listed as a backer of this fintech startup.
- Infinity (Renewable Energy)minorPartnership with Infinity to offer flexible payment options for electric vehicle chargers and charging sessions at the 'EVs Electrify!' Expo in Egypt, supporting Egypt's sustainable mobility growth.
- El Kasrawy GroupmajorPartnership with El Kasrawy Group, a prominent automotive conglomerate in Egypt, to offer flexible car financing solutions through Valu Shift. The collaboration included integration into El Kasrawy's network and a campaign at Mall of Egypt.
- Amazon Egypt (Renewed)coreRenewed collaboration with Amazon Egypt to enhance customer financing programs, expand exclusive perks, and flexible payment plans for both companies' customers.
- PayTabs EgyptmajorPartnership to launch the Valu Merchant App, a smartphone-based payment solution utilizing QR technology for fast, secure, contactless transactions without traditional POS hardware.
- PaynascoreValU acquired 100% of Paynas, a financial services provider for MSMEs in Egypt. The acquisition expanded access to financial solutions for small businesses and their employees, leveraging Paynas's digital capabilities and existing licenses.
- Amazon EgyptcoreValU partnered with Amazon to offer BNPL services on amazon.eg, serving over 574,000 clients. Amazon later exercised its warrant to directly acquire approximately 3.95% of Valu's issued share capital.
- FAS LabsflagshipJoint venture with FAS Labs for valU's expansion into Saudi Arabia, marking valU's entry into the Saudi market.
- EFG for SecuritizationcoreEFG for Securitization manages the receivables portfolio backing Valu's securitized bond issuances, including the EGP 9.0 billion securitization program.
- Bank NXTcoreCo-branded credit card partnership where Bank NXT and Valu jointly offer a credit card with separate limits, exclusive perks, and global acceptance. The card features monthly updated benefits and flash cashbacks.
- AzimutcorePartnership with Azimut to offer AZValu, a money market fund with daily compounding returns, accessible through the Valu app for investment services.
- EFG Hermes ONEcoreIntegration with EFG Hermes ONE trading platform through the Valu app, enabling users to trade in 35+ MENA and global markets with real-time portfolio monitoring and insights.
Scale indicators18 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights9 records
valU competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tabby: UAE-based BNPL platform serving merchants and consumers across MENA with installment payment solutions; competes directly with Valu's core 'U' BNPL offering across the same regional customer base.
- Tamara: Saudi Arabia-headquartered BNPL provider offering interest-free installments to consumers and merchants; comparable to Valu as a MENA BNPL leader with overlapping regional expansion ambitions.
- Khazna: Egyptian fintech offering BNPL and consumer finance solutions targeted at salaried employees; directly competes with Valu in the Egyptian BNPL/consumer credit market.
- Lucky: Egyptian BNPL app providing installment-based payments for online and offline merchants; directly competes with Valu's 'U' service for Egyptian merchants and consumers.
- Contact (Egyptian fintech): Egyptian fintech offering BNPL and digital credit solutions to consumers and merchants; directly competes with Valu for Egyptian BNPL market share with overlapping product positioning.
Emerging players
- MNT-Halan: Egyptian fintech operating consumer lending, payments, and ride-hailing services; overlaps with Valu in Egyptian consumer credit and digital financial services targeting underbanked populations.
Broad incumbents
- Paymob: Egyptian payments infrastructure provider enabling merchants to accept digital payments; overlapping capabilities with Valu's merchant-facing integrations and digital payment solutions across Egypt.
- Fawry: Egypt's leading digital payments platform with extensive bill payment and merchant network; a strategic partner of Valu (integrated into myfawry app) and broadly comparable as an Egyptian fintech/payments incumbent.
- Klarna: Global BNPL leader offering installment payments across e-commerce and retail; comparable as a category-defining BNPL platform with similar product structure to Valu's 'U' offering.
- Affirm: US-listed BNPL provider offering point-of-sale installment lending for online and in-store purchases; comparable as a public-market BNPL platform with diversified consumer credit products analogous to Valu's portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
valU social profiles
Digital presencevalU compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
valU financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
valU leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
valU subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
valU funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds12 records
Investors9 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
valU M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments5 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about valU
What does valU do?
valU is a mobile-first fintech platform offering Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) and consumer finance solutions, including installment plans at over 9,000 retail stores and 1,500+ e-commerce platforms, prepaid and co-branded credit cards, auto and luxury financing, cash advances, an integrated marketplace, and investment services. The platform serves individual consumers and SMEs across Egypt and Jordan with flexible repayment terms ranging from 1 to 84 months.
Is valU a public or private company?
valU is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was valU founded?
valU was founded in 2017. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is valU based?
valU is headquartered in Gîza, Egypt, in the Africa region.
How does valU make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. BNPL Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are consumer Financing Interest, securitized Bond Issuances, card Transaction Fees and green Consumer Finance.
Who are valU's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tabby, Tamara, Khazna, Lucky and Contact (Egyptian fintech). MNT-Halan is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Paymob, Fawry, Klarna and Affirm.
Does valU have an API?
No public API is recorded for valU.
What industry is valU in?
valU's product category is Consumer Finance (BNPL). Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAFAG, Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) Platforms, with a secondary code of FSAGAIAG, BNPL Consumer Apps & Wallets (Discovery, Management). Its NAICS code is 52222 and its SIC code is 6141.