Banco Solidario
Banco Solidario is a privately held Ecuadorian microfinance bank headquartered in Quito that serves microentrepreneurs, salaried workers, women, and underserved populations with credit, savings, and payment-card products through 55+ branches and omnichannel digital platforms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersQuito, Ecuador
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Banco Solidario does
Banco Solidario S.A. is a privately held Ecuadorian bank headquartered in Quito, founded in the mid-1990s as a pioneer of microfinance in the country. It focuses on serving microentrepreneurs, salaried workers, women, and other underserved populations — segments that collectively represent an estimated 60% of the Ecuadorian population — through character-based credit assessment rather than traditional asset-based underwriting. The bank's product suite is organized around three pillars: credit products (Microcrédito from $1,000, Unicrédito personal loans from $600, and Olla de Oro gold-pawn credit from $50–$30,000), savings and investment products (Cuenta Solidaria, Rentahorros at up to 3.5%, and Certificados de Depósito at up to 5.75%), and payment cards (Tarjeta Alia and variants including Alia Mi Socia targeting women). Distribution is omnichannel: 55+ physical branches across 14+ provinces, the App Solidario Móvil (Android/iOS), Banca por Internet, a 24/7 WhatsApp chatbot called Marisol, a video-call Agencia Virtual, and a third-party Puntos Aliados cash-access network spanning pharmacies, supermarkets, and bill-payment aggregators.
Revenue is generated primarily through interest income on the microcredit, personal-loan, and pawnshop portfolios, supplemented by credit-card fees (annual fees, interchange, cash advances), savings/deposit spreads, and transaction service fees; rates are set within bands authorized by the Superintendencia de Bancos. The bank is funded in part by a diversified syndicate of more than 20 international development-finance and impact investors — including BID Invest, BlueOrchard, Triodos, KfW, FMO, BIO, responsAbility, Symbiotics, Incofin, and PROPARCO — with $265 million USD in cumulative foreign investment for microcredit placement reported as of June 2024. Banco Solidario holds an AAA- financial risk rating from Class International Rating, an A+ social rating from Microfinanza Rating, EDGE gender-equity certification (the only bank in Ecuador to do so), and CERISE+SPTF Gold certification in client protection. In 2013 it merged with UniBanco, and it operates the Cuida tu Futuro financial-education program, which trained 12,000 people (65% women) and reached 10.2 million through awareness activities in 2025.
Banco Solidario firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Banco Solidario
- Legal name
- Banco Solidario S.A.
- Website
- https://banco-solidario.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Banco Solidario is a privately held Ecuadorian microfinance bank headquartered in Quito that serves microentrepreneurs, salaried workers, women, and underserved populations with credit, savings, and payment-card products through 55+ branches and omnichannel digital platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Banco Solidario industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Microfinance Banking
- NAICS
- Commercial Banking (522110), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)
- SIC
- Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153), Functions Related To Depository Banking, Nec (6099)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Small Business Banking (Microbusiness/Sole Proprietor) (FSABAAAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- General SME & Middle-Market Commercial Banking (FSABABAA)
Keywords
Where Banco Solidario is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Quito
- HQ country
- Ecuador
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices12 records
Markets served
Banco Solidario business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Interest Income from Microcredit: Primary revenue from microcredit loans to microentrepreneurs with interest rates authorized by the Superintendency of Banks.
- Interest Income from Personal Credit (Unicrédito): Personal loans for employees in dependency relationships, generating interest income.
- Pawnshop Credit (Olla de Oro): Collateral-based lending against gold jewelry, with interest and appraisal fees.
- Credit Card Fees (Tarjeta Alia): Annual fees, interchange fees, cash advance fees, and interest on revolving balances for the Alia credit card.
- Savings and Investment Products: Deposit-taking and certificate of deposit products that fund lending operations.
- Service Fees: Various banking service fees including account management, transfers, and insurance products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Cuenta Ahorro Futuro Seguro - Savings account with guaranteed interest rate plus bonifications |
| Subscription | Monthly | Cuenta Rentahorro - High-yield savings account |
| Subscription | Monthly | Cuenta Ahorro Solidaria - Basic savings account |
| Subscription | Monthly | Certificados de Depósito - Fixed-term investment certificates |
| Subscription | Monthly | Crédito Rapidito - Personal credit for internet application |
| Subscription | Monthly | Crédito Personal (Unicrédito) - Personal loan for employees |
| Subscription | Monthly | Simulador Crédito Personal - Personal credit simulation tool |
| Subscription | Monthly | Crédito Olla de Oro - Pawnshop credit against gold jewelry |
| Subscription | Monthly | Microcrédito - Credit for microentrepreneurs |
| Subscription | Annual | Tarjeta Alia - Credit card with rewards program |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
Banco Solidario product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Banco Solidario is an Ecuadorian private commercial bank founded in 1994 and headquartered in Quito that specializes in microcredit, consumer loans, pawn loans, savings accounts, time deposits, and credit cards. It primarily serves microentrepreneurs, salaried workers, and women through a national branch network and digital channels including a mobile app, internet banking, and a WhatsApp chatbot named Marisol.
Product overview
Banco Solidario operates as a multi-product financial institution offering a comprehensive suite of banking products organized around three core pillars: credit products (Microcrédito for microentrepreneurs, Unicrédito personal loans, and Olla de Oro pawn credits), savings and investment accounts (Solidaria savings, Rentahorros, Ahorros Futuro Seguro, and Certificates of Deposit), and payment cards (Tarjeta Alia with multiple variants including Alia Mi Socia and Alia Adicional). These core products are supported by digital platforms including Banca por Internet (online banking), App Solidario Móvil (mobile banking), and the Marisol Chatbot on WhatsApp. The bank differentiates through specialized offerings like the Plan Conmigo rewards program, physical and digital service point networks (Puntos Aliados), and the Agencia Virtual video banking service. The portfolio also includes value-added features such as cash advances on credit cards, referral programs, and insurance options tied to credit products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Alia: Credit card brand offering promotions, discounts, cash advances, and the Plan Conmigo rewards program.
- Alia Mi Socia
- Olla de Oro
- Unicrédito
- Microcrédito
- Ahorro Futuro Seguro
- Rentahorros
- Certificados de Depósito
- Plan Conmigo
- Cuida tu Futuro
Products and services
- Microcrédito
- Unicrédito
- Olla de Oro
- Tarjeta Alia
- Ahorro Solidaria
- Rentahorros
- Ahorros Futuro Seguro
- Certificados de Depósito
- Inversiones
- App Solidario Móvil
- Banca por Internet
- Agencia Virtual
- Marisol (Asistente WhatsApp)
Quantifiable outcome
- 88.92% of credits granted are below GDP per capita, indicating focus on lowest-income segments
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Banco Solidario
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Banco Solidario technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature3 records
Banco Solidario partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Asobanca EcuadorcoreEcuadorian Banking Association for industry representation and standards.
- Asociación de Instituciones de MicrofinanzascoreAssociation of microfinance institutions in Ecuador for sector representation.
- Red de Instituciones Financieras para el Desarrollo (RFD)coreNetwork of financial institutions for development providing shared resources and best practices.
- Red AcciónminorLatin American network for social and economic development.
- Alianza Financiera para la MujercoreFinancial alliance specifically focused on women's financial inclusion and empowerment.
- Cluster FinancierominorFinancial sector cluster for innovation and collaboration in Ecuador.
- Principios de Empoderamiento de la Mujer de Naciones Unidas (UN Women)coreUN Women's Empowerment Principles for gender equality in the workplace and marketplace.
- FacilitominorService point network available at Farmacias Económicas and Farmacias Medicity nationwide for bill payments and deposits.
- Red Activa Western UnionminorWestern Union network available at Mi Comisariato, Supermercados Santa María, and Tía nationwide.
- ServipagosminorNational service point network for bill payments and financial transactions.
- Pago ÁgilminorNational payment service point network for bill payments and transactions.
- ChubbcoreInsurance provider for credit card protection products including Desgravamen and Protección Total Familiar insurance for Alia cardholders.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Banco Solidario competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- BRAC International: Global microfinance and social enterprise NGO providing microcredit, savings, and financial education in emerging markets; comparable as a mission-aligned microfinance operator with similar emphasis on women borrowers, though operating outside Ecuador's banking license regime.
Direct peers
- Fundación Mundo Mujer: Colombian microfinance institution with a women-centered mission serving microentrepreneurs via credit and savings products — directly comparable to Banco Solidario's Mujer Solidaria segment and impact banking positioning.
- Mibanco: Peruvian microfinance bank subsidiary of BCP serving microentrepreneurs and small businesses with credit and savings products; directly comparable to Banco Solidario in product set, customer segment, and Andean LatAm regulation.
- Banco PYME Ecofuturo: Bolivian microfinance bank serving microentrepreneurs with credits, savings, and financial education programs; comparable product set and Boligüe-style impact/microfinance positioning to Banco Solidario.
- Banco ADOPEM: Dominican Republic microfinance institution owned by Fundación Microfinanzas BBVA, focused on vulnerable microentrepreneurs and women — directly comparable mission, segments, and microfinance banking license.
- Banco Compartamos: Mexico's leading microfinance institution serving low-income microentrepreneurs with personal and group loans, credit, and savings. Highly comparable as a public-listed LatAm microfinance pioneer targeting similar customer segments and using alternative-credit underwriting.
Broad incumbents
- Produbanco (Grupo Promerica): Major Ecuadorian universal bank offering retail, SME, and corporate banking; comparable as a domestic competitor with a broader portfolio but overlapping credit and deposit products with Banco Solidario.
- Banco Pichincha: Ecuador's largest universal bank, offering credit, savings, and digital channels across the country; relevant as a domestic incumbent competitor whose reach Solidario must scale against in Ecuador retail and SME banking.
- Banco de Crédito BCP (Microfinance segment): Peru's largest universal bank, which has expanded aggressively into microfinance (Mibanco and Banco de Crédito) over more than a decade, competing directly with Banco Solidario's microcredit focus as a broader-incumbent counterexample.
Emerging players
- Grameen Bank: Bangladesh-origin microfinance pioneer serving microcredit to low-income borrowers through group-lending methodology; comparable as the canonical microfinance model that Banco Solidario adapts to Ecuador's regulatory and credit context.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Banco Solidario social profiles
Digital presenceBanco Solidario compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Banco Solidario financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Banco Solidario leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Banco Solidario funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Banco Solidario 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 Banco Solidario
What does Banco Solidario do?
Banco Solidario is an Ecuadorian private commercial bank founded in 1994 and headquartered in Quito that specializes in microcredit, consumer loans, pawn loans, savings accounts, time deposits, and credit cards. It primarily serves microentrepreneurs, salaried workers, and women through a national branch network and digital channels including a mobile app, internet banking, and a WhatsApp chatbot named Marisol.
Is Banco Solidario a public or private company?
Banco Solidario is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Banco Solidario founded?
Banco Solidario was founded in 1994. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Banco Solidario based?
Banco Solidario is headquartered in Quito, Ecuador, in the Latin America region.
How does Banco Solidario make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Interest Income from Microcredit is the primary driver. The others are interest Income from Personal Credit (Unicrédito), pawnshop Credit (Olla de Oro), credit Card Fees (Tarjeta Alia), savings and Investment Products and service Fees.
Who are Banco Solidario's main competitors?
BRAC International is listed as an others. Direct peers are Fundación Mundo Mujer, Mibanco, Banco PYME Ecofuturo, Banco ADOPEM and Banco Compartamos. Broad incumbents are Produbanco (Grupo Promerica), Banco Pichincha and Banco de Crédito BCP (Microfinance segment). Grameen Bank is listed as an emerging player.
Does Banco Solidario have an API?
No public API is recorded for Banco Solidario.
What industry is Banco Solidario in?
Banco Solidario's product category is Microfinance Banking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSABAAAI, Small Business Banking (Microbusiness/Sole Proprietor), with a secondary code of FSABABAA, General SME & Middle-Market Commercial Banking. Its NAICS code is 522110 and its SIC code is 6153.