Funding Souq
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersRiyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
Funding Souq firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Funding Souq
- Legal name
- Funding Souq Limited
- Website
- https://fundingsouq.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Funding Souq industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Crowdfunding & SME Lending
- NAICS
- Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522)
- SIC
- Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153), Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Large-Cap / Sponsor Finance Direct Lending (FSANADAJ)
Keywords
Where Funding Souq is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Riyadh
- HQ country
- Saudi Arabia
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices1 record
Markets served
Funding Souq business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Origination Fees (Borrowers): Borrowers are charged an origination fee based on the risk rating of the underlying business and the tenure of the facility. The fee varies from 2-5% of the facility amount.
- Service Fees (Investors): Funding Souq retains a 2% service fee from the profit payment made by borrowers, while the remainder is distributed to investors. All returns presented to investors are net of fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Investor - Retail |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Investor - Professional |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Borrower - SME Financing |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Investor - Regional (KSA) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Funding Souq product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Funding Souq operates a Sharia-compliant debt-based crowdfunding marketplace that matches individual and institutional investors with established SMEs in the UAE and Saudi Arabia seeking working capital and fixed-asset financing. Borrowers receive credit decisions within 72 hours for facilities of AED/SAR 50,000-1,000,000 over 3-24 months, while investors earn monthly principal and profit distributions with target returns up to 15% per annum net of fees from a starting investment of AED 1,000.
Product overview
Funding Souq operates as a debt-based crowdfunding platform connecting established SMEs seeking growth capital with investors pursuing returns. The core platform features a Marketplace where investors browse and select funding opportunities, enhanced by an Auto-Invest feature for automated portfolio allocation. The platform offers two SME financing products: Working Capital Loans (3-12 months) and Fixed Asset Loans (up to 24 months), with financing ranging from AED 50,000 to AED 1,000,000. Supporting tools include an Investment Calculator for return projections and a Business Finance Calculator for loan cost assessment. A Mobile App (iOS/Android) enables on-the-go investing, loan applications, and portfolio management. All operations are Sharia-compliant (certified by Dar Al Shariah) and regulated by DFSA (UAE) and SAMA (Saudi Arabia).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Default rate maintained below 2.3%
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Funding Souq
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Funding Souq technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature4 records
Funding Souq partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre)corePlatform is incorporated and operates within DIFC, Dubai's financial free zone. DIFC provides regulatory framework and fintech ecosystem support.
- Dar Al ShariahcoreSharia certification body that verifies Funding Souq's compliance with Islamic finance principles. Conducts quarterly audits of randomly selected investment opportunities. Subsidiary of Dubai Islamic Bank.
- Emirates NBDcoreSegregated client monies account holder in compliance with DFSA's Conduct of Business module requirements. Ensures investor funds are held separately from operational funds.
- SME BankminorPartner bank supporting SME financing ecosystem in the UAE
- KafalahminorSME credit guarantee program partner providing risk support for SME borrowers
- MonshaatminorSaudi Arabian General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises supporting SME ecosystem development
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Funding Souq competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Beehive: Beehive is a UAE-based P2P lending platform that connects investors with vetted SMEs for short-term working capital finance, regulated by DFSA. It is Funding Souq's closest direct competitor, operating in the same geography with a similar Sharia-aware investor base and SME borrower focus.
- liwwa: liwwa is a Jordan-based P2P lending platform providing Sharia-compliant working capital financing to SMEs from retail and institutional investors. It competes with Funding Souq in the broader MENA Sharia-compliant P2P lending category and shares a similar origination-fee + service-fee revenue model.
- Stake: Stake is a UAE-based fractional real estate investing platform offering regulated, low-minimum property exposure to retail investors. While real-estate-focused rather than SME lending, it competes for the same pool of DFSA-regulated retail/professional investors in the UAE that Funding Souq targets.
- Eureeca: Eureeca is a UAE-headquartered MENA-focused crowdfunding platform, though primarily equity- rather than debt-based. It is comparable to Funding Souq as a regulated MENA crowdfunding marketplace serving SMEs and retail/professional investors, and is explicitly named in Funding Souq's comparison content.
- SmartCrowd: SmartCrowd is a DFSA-regulated UAE-based digital property investment platform enabling retail investors to access fractional real estate deals. It is comparable to Funding Souq as a regulated UAE investment platform with low entry tickets, self-serve onboarding, and similar investor segmentation (retail vs professional).
- Lendo: Lendo is a Saudi Arabia-based Sharia-compliant P2P lending marketplace connecting SMEs with investors, regulated by SAMA. It is the most direct domestic competitor to Funding Souq in the KSA market, offering working capital financing on similar terms.
Broad incumbents
- LendingClub: LendingClub is a US-listed digital lending marketplace originally focused on consumer P2P lending and now extending into SMB credit. It is comparable to Funding Souq as a publicly-traded, tech-led online lending marketplace and serves as a relevant comparison for the trajectory and scale dynamics of platform lending businesses.
- Funding Circle: Funding Circle is a UK-listed global SME lending platform that connects institutional and retail investors with small business loans. It is comparable to Funding Souq as a scaled, regulated SMB-loan marketplace and serves as a relevant benchmark for platform economics, though it operates in mature Western markets with bank-grade institutional funding.
Regional players
- MoneyFellows: MoneyFellows is an Egypt-headquartered digital rotating savings and credit circle platform serving individuals and small businesses across MENA. It is comparable to Funding Souq as a regional fintech digitising community-based lending, though it primarily serves the Egyptian market and operates a different credit mechanism.
- Filbah: Filbah is an Egypt-based digital lending platform offering Sharia-compliant financing to SMEs and individuals. It is comparable to Funding Souq as an emerging regional peer in the MENA digital SME lending space, though it is geographically concentrated in Egypt rather than GCC markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Funding Souq social profiles
Digital presenceFunding Souq compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Funding Souq financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Funding Souq leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Funding Souq funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Funding Souq M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Funding Souq
What does Funding Souq do?
Funding Souq operates a Sharia-compliant debt-based crowdfunding marketplace that matches individual and institutional investors with established SMEs in the UAE and Saudi Arabia seeking working capital and fixed-asset financing. Borrowers receive credit decisions within 72 hours for facilities of AED/SAR 50,000-1,000,000 over 3-24 months, while investors earn monthly principal and profit distributions with target returns up to 15% per annum net of fees from a starting investment of AED 1,000.
Is Funding Souq a public or private company?
Funding Souq is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Funding Souq founded?
Funding Souq was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Funding Souq based?
Funding Souq is headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the Middle East region.
How does Funding Souq make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Origination Fees (Borrowers) is the primary driver. The others are service Fees (Investors).
Who are Funding Souq's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Beehive, liwwa, Stake, Eureeca, SmartCrowd and Lendo. Broad incumbents are LendingClub and Funding Circle. Regional players are MoneyFellows and Filbah.
Does Funding Souq have an API?
No public API is recorded for Funding Souq.
What industry is Funding Souq in?
Funding Souq's product category is Crowdfunding & SME Lending. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANADAJ, Large-Cap / Sponsor Finance Direct Lending. Its NAICS code is 522 and its SIC code is 6153.