Kashat
Kashat is Egypt's first FRA-regulated nano lending mobile app, providing instant small loans (EGP 100–3,000) to unbanked individuals and micro-business owners using AI-driven credit scoring and a multi-channel disbursement network across 24 governorates.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersCairo, Egypt
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Kashat does
Kashat is a Cairo-based mobile fintech operating as Egypt's first licensed nano financial service provider, regulated by the country's Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA). Founded in 2019 by Karim Nour, Sumair Farooqui, and Elwy Taymour, the company operates a mobile-first lending application that issues instant, small, short-term productive loans (EGP 100 to EGP 3,000, with repayment terms up to 91 days) to unbanked and underbanked Egyptians who lack traditional credit history. Onboarding is fully digital and paperless, requiring only a valid national ID and a selfie, with approval and disbursement occurring within minutes.
The platform's core differentiator is its AI-driven credit assessment engine, which uses non-traditional alternative data to underwrite borrowers who would otherwise be invisible to conventional banks. Loan disbursement and collection are routed through an extensive partner network that includes telecom e-wallets (Vodafone Cash, Etisalat Cash, Orange Cash), retail and fintech networks (Fawry, Aman), and bank wallets (CIB Smart Wallet), giving Kashat reach across 24 of Egypt's 26 governorates and a potential market of roughly 100 million people. Disbursement and onboarding infrastructure was further digitized via a five-year partnership with Mastercard signed in late 2021.
Kashat monetizes through a transaction-fee model, charging admin fees on each nano loan (as low as 8%, with dynamic pricing that rewards early repayment) and a premium tier that grants higher limits and lower fees to borrowers with demonstrated repayment behavior. Customer acquisition is product-led and self-serve, driven by mobile app stores, social media, and performance marketing, and the company had disbursed over 100,000 loans by August 2022. Funding to date includes a reported $1 million seed round in 2019 and a $1.75 million bridge round in September 2021 led by Launch Africa with participation from Cairo Angels and Acasia Group, with additional undisclosed support from Acasia Ventures and Plug and Play through 2022.
Kashat firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kashat
- Legal name
- Kashat
- Website
- https://kashat.com.eg
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kashat is Egypt's first FRA-regulated nano lending mobile app, providing instant small loans (EGP 100–3,000) to unbanked individuals and micro-business owners using AI-driven credit scoring and a multi-channel disbursement network across 24 governorates.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kashat industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Consumer Nano Lending
- NAICS
- Nondepository Credit Intermediation (5222), Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522)
- SIC
- Personal Credit Institutions (6141), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Small-Dollar Short-Term Installment Loans (Non-payday) (FSAKAMAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI), Emergency & Short-Term Installment Personal Loans (Unsecured) (FSAKAAAH)
Keywords
Where Kashat is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cairo
- HQ country
- Egypt
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kashat business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Nano Loan Interest and Admin Fees: Kashat generates revenue through admin fees (as low as 8%) charged on nano loans disbursed to customers. The dynamic pricing model offers lower fees for early repayment.
- Loan Disbursement and Collection Services: Revenue from facilitating loan disbursement and collection through digital wallets and partner networks including Vodafone Cash, Fawry, and telecom e-wallets.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Basic Tier: Small loans starting from EGP 100 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Tier: Loans ranging to EGP 3,000 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Tier: Higher limits and lower fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels6 records
Kashat product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kashat provides instant, small, short-term productive nano loans to unbanked and underbanked Egyptians through a mobile-first platform. Loans range from EGP 100 to EGP 3,000 with repayment periods of up to 91 days, and require only a valid national ID and selfie for onboarding. The service is licensed by Egypt's Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) and disburses/repays through telecom e-wallets (Vodafone Cash, Etisalat Cash, Orange Cash), bank wallets (CIB Smart Wallet), and retail networks (Fawry, Aman).
Product overview
Kashat is Egypt's first nano financial service provider, offering a mobile-first fintech platform centered around instant nano loans for the unbanked and underbanked population. The core product is the Nano Loans offering, which provides small, short-term productive loans to help users build financial identity. The platform also includes a Premium Customer Status program that rewards responsible borrowers with higher limits and lower fees. The company uses AI and non-traditional data to assess creditworthiness, enabling financial inclusion for populations without conventional credit histories. All services are delivered through a mobile application available on Android and Huawei devices.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Nano Loans Instant, small, short-term productive loans ranging from EGP 100 to EGP 3,000 with flexible repayment plans up to 91 days, delivered through a paperless mobile app requiring only a valid national ID and selfie for application, with dynamic admin fees as low as 8% and lower fees for early repayment. Targeted at unbanked and underbanked Egyptian individuals and micro business owners.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100,000 loans disbursed by August 2022
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Kashat
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Kashat technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
AI capability2 records
Feature3 records
Kashat partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- CIB Smart WalletminorCommercial International Bank (CIB) Wallet added to Kashat's digital channel offerings for disbursement and collection.
- Orange CashminorOrange Money integrated into Kashat's channel suite for disbursement and collection services.
- MastercardcoreMastercard signed a five-year agreement with Kashat to digitize onboarding, disbursement, and collection processes for Egypt's first nano financial service provider.
- Etisalat CashminorEtisalat Cash added to Kashat's channels for digital disbursement and collection via telecom e-wallet.
- FawrycoreFawry provides widespread retail network for Kashat loan disbursement and collection through its branch and agent network.
- AXAminorAXA provides complimentary insurance for Kashat customers, enhancing the value proposition for borrowers.
- Vodafone CashcoreVodafone Cash provides digital channel for loan disbursement and collection via mobile e-wallet service.
- AmancoreAman serves as a physical channel for loan disbursement and collection through its retail branch network across Egypt.
- Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA)coreKashat is licensed and regulated by Egypt's Financial Regulatory Authority, enabling legal operation of nano lending services.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kashat competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Tala: Mobile lending platform serving underbanked consumers via app-based underwriting in emerging markets (notably Mexico, India, Kenya); comparable AI-driven, thin-file underwriting model and product structure to Kashat though operating outside Egypt.
- Carbon (formerly Paylater): Nigerian digital lending platform offering nano and consumer credit to underbanked Africans via mobile; overlaps with Kashat's product set (instant small loans, AI underwriting) but serves a different geography.
- Branch International: Mobile lending platform providing instant nano and small-dollar loans to underbanked consumers in Africa (Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania) and India; uses similar non-traditional data underwriting and mobile-first distribution as Kashat.
- Telda: Digital consumer finance app serving underbanked populations in Egypt and MENA, offering short-term credit products; comparable business model and customer profile to Kashat, with overlapping presence in Egypt.
Emerging players
- Lulalend: South African online lender providing short-term working capital and nano loans to SMEs; comparable mobile-first, data-driven underwriting and similar ticket sizes to Kashat, though focused on businesses rather than consumers.
Direct peers
- valU: Egyptian buy-now-pay-later and consumer finance platform owned by EFG Hermes; offers installment-based lending to consumers and merchants, directly competing with Kashat for digital-native, unbanked/underbanked Egyptian borrowers.
- Khazna: Egyptian fintech offering small-ticket, short-term digital loans to salaried and underbanked Egyptians via a mobile app; competes head-to-head with Kashat in Egypt's nano lending category with similar underwriting and distribution approaches.
Others
- Mastercard Community Pass: Mastercard's inclusive digital identity and payments platform for underserved populations; Kashat's five-year Mastercard partnership involves Community Pass assets to digitize onboarding—making it a partner/ecosystem enabler rather than direct competitor.
Broad incumbents
- MNT-Halan: Egyptian fintech super-app providing consumer and SME lending, payments, and ride-hailing; overlaps with Kashat in nano and SME lending to underbanked Egyptians but operates a broader product portfolio.
- Fawry: Egypt's largest digital payments and bill collection network; while currently a Kashat distribution partner, Fawry's scale, merchant network, and balance sheet position it to launch competing nano lending products targeting the same underbanked segment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Kashat social profiles
Digital presenceKashat compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Kashat financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kashat leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Kashat funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kashat 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 Kashat
What does Kashat do?
Kashat provides instant, small, short-term productive nano loans to unbanked and underbanked Egyptians through a mobile-first platform. Loans range from EGP 100 to EGP 3,000 with repayment periods of up to 91 days, and require only a valid national ID and selfie for onboarding. The service is licensed by Egypt's Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) and disburses/repays through telecom e-wallets (Vodafone Cash, Etisalat Cash, Orange Cash), bank wallets (CIB Smart Wallet), and retail networks (Fawry, Aman).
Is Kashat a public or private company?
Kashat is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Kashat founded?
Kashat was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Kashat based?
Kashat is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt, in the Africa region.
How does Kashat make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Nano Loan Interest and Admin Fees are the primary driver. The others are loan Disbursement and Collection Services.
Who are Kashat's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Tala, Carbon (formerly Paylater), Branch International and Telda. Lulalend is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are valU and Khazna. Mastercard Community Pass is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are MNT-Halan and Fawry.
Does Kashat have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kashat.
What industry is Kashat in?
Kashat's product category is Consumer Nano Lending. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAKAMAI, Small-Dollar Short-Term Installment Loans (Non-payday), with a secondary code of FSAKAGAI, SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans. Its NAICS code is 5222 and its SIC code is 6141.