Pharos Holding

What Pharos Holding does

Pharos Holding for Financial Investments is a Cairo-based investment firm established in 2004 by Elwy Taymour. It originally operated as a full-service investment bank — at one point managing Egypt's third-largest brokerage business alongside an award-winning advisory practice and asset management arm — before divesting those units to Egypt's largest commercial bank in 2018. In 2020, the company executed a strategic pivot, repositioning itself as an investment holding company focused on tech-enabled non-banking financial services in Egypt.

The firm's current portfolio centers on four regulated digital fintech sub-brands: Kashat (Egypt's first online nano-lending platform, fully licensed under the FRA, now merged into Raseedi B.V. to power its online lending capabilities), Abgad (Egypt's first education-focused consumer lending platform, regulated by the FRA, with a network spanning 70+ educational institutions), El Game3eya (a digital ROSCA/savings platform with stated regional expansion plans), and Fawateerak (a digital financial services platform). Underpinning these is a legacy independent non-bank bookkeeping business that serves all brokerage firms in Egypt plus high-net-worth individuals, with a portfolio exceeding EGP 3 billion. The company also runs a Creators and Incubators program (which has launched two fintech companies in seven years) and a seed investment program — operating since 2018 with IFC and local bank backing — that has invested in nearly 12 FRA/CBE-aligned ventures.

Pharos generates revenue through three primary streams: transaction fees and returns from its portfolio of seed-stage fintech investments, professional service fees from its leading market position in independent brokerage bookkeeping, and interest income from Kashat's nano-lending operations. Distribution is largely domestic and digital-first: mobile apps on Google Play and direct web platforms for consumer-facing products (Kashat, Abgad, El Game3eya, Fawateerak), institutional partnerships for Abgad's education distribution, and direct B2B sales for bookkeeping clients. The company operates within regulatory frameworks co-developed with the FRA, giving it a first-mover position in Egypt's regulated nano-lending and education-lending categories.

Name

Pharos Holding

Legal name

Pharos Holding for Financial Investments

Website

https://pharosholding.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Pharos Holding is a Cairo-based investment firm operating as a holding company for tech-enabled non-banking financial services in Egypt, including nano-lending (Kashat), education lending (Abgad), digital ROSCA (El Game3eya), and independent bookkeeping services for brokerage firms and high-net-worth individuals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-Banking Financial Services / Investment Holding

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive/Full-Service RIAs & Independent Wealth Managers (FSAAACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

General Ledger & Close (Journal Entries, Month-End Close, Reconciliations) (BPAAAGAC)

Keywords

• Non-banking financial services
• Fintech incubation
• Microfinance lending
• Independent bookkeeping
• Seed investment

Headquarters

HQ city

Cairo

HQ country

Egypt

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns from Portfolio Companies: Pharos Holding generates returns through its investments in tech-enabled non-banking financial service companies including nano-lending, education financing, and digital savings platforms.
2. Bookkeeping Services: Professional bookkeeping services provided to all brokerage firms in Egypt, high-net-worth individuals, and corporations. The portfolio exceeds EGP 3 billion.
3. Nano-lending Interest Income (Kashat): Kashat operates as a microfinance company generating revenue through interest on nano-loans extended to underbanked populations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pharos Holding operates as an investment firm that incubates, invests in, and manages tech-enabled non-banking financial service platforms in Egypt. Its portfolio includes Kashat (Egypt's first nano-lending platform, FRA-regulated microfinance), Abgad (education-focused consumer lending across 70+ institutions), El Game3eya (digital ROSCA/savings circles), and Fawateerak (digital fintech), alongside independent non-bank bookkeeping services for all Egyptian brokerage firms, high-net-worth individuals, and corporations. The firm also runs an incubator/creators program and a seed-investment program in FRA/CBE-regulated companies.

Product overview

Pharos Holding operates a diversified portfolio of tech-enabled non-banking financial services products. The core offering includes bookkeeping services for brokerage firms (portfolio exceeding EGP 3 billion). The product suite comprises four main sub-brands: Kashat (Egypt's first nano-lending platform, now merging with Raseedi), Abgad (education-focused consumer lending), El Game3eya (digital ROSCA/savings platform), and Fawateerk (digital financial services). Additional services include an incubation/creators program that has launched companies, and a seed investment program that has backed nearly 12 regulated fintech companies since 2018.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kashat: Egypt's first online nano-lending platform, operated as a fully licensed microfinance company regulated by the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA).
• Abgad
• El Game3eya
• Fawateerak

Products and services

• Kashat Egypt's first online nano-lending platform: a fully licensed microfinance company regulated by the FRA that issues small, short-term loans to underbanked Egyptian consumers via mobile and web. Powered by top-tier investors including Plug N Play and Africa Invest, and currently being merged into Raseedi B.V. where it will power online lending capabilities.
• Abgad Egypt's first education-focused consumer lending platform, regulated by the FRA. Supports families with educational expenses, partners with educational institutions to manage cash flow, and collaborates with corporations to address employees' family education needs. Network spans over 70 institutions in Egypt.
• El Game3eya A digital ROSCA (Rotating Savings and Credit Association) platform that digitizes traditional money cycles, providing a fully digital and user-friendly platform for saving money and managing personal finances among underbanked users.
• Fawateerak A digital financial services platform providing fintech solutions for underbanked Egyptian consumers. Pharos invested in Fawateerak in 2018 as part of its seed investment strategy.
• Bookkeeping Services Egypt's leading independent non-bank bookkeeping service, providing trusted professional bookkeeping to all brokerage firms in Egypt, high-net-worth individuals, and corporations. Integrates with eKYC operators for seamless brokerage transactions. Portfolio exceeds EGP 3 billion.
• Creators and Incubators Program Incubation program that transforms fintech ideas into operational businesses by nurturing them and securing investor support for ventures aligned with FRA or CBE regulations. Has successfully launched two groundbreaking companies in Egypt over seven years.
• Seed Investors in Regulated Tech-Enabled Companies Seed investment program that champions growth in non-banking financial services by investing in innovative, early-stage ideas aligned with FRA or CBE regulations. Started in 2018 with IFC support and has invested in nearly 12 companies since inception.

Quantifiable outcome

• Portfolio exceeds EGP 3 billion in bookkeeping services
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Raseedi B.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKashat is undergoing merger with Raseedi B.V., a company dedicated to building the largest community for underbanked populations. Post-merger, Kashat will power Raseedi's online lending capabilities.
• eKYC OperatorsstrategicTechnology or IntegrationIntegration partners for expanding bookkeeping services to enable seamless brokerage transactions through electronic Know Your Customer verification systems.
• Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA)coreOthersPharos worked closely with FRA to establish the regulatory framework for nano-lending in Egypt. Kashat operates as a fully licensed microfinance company regulated by FRA.
• Central Bank of Egypt (CBE)coreOthersPharos invests in ventures aligned with CBE regulations, operating within the framework of Egypt's central banking oversight for non-banking financial services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Telda: Egyptian digital banking app offering accounts, cards, and personal finance tools. Comparable to Pharos's fintech sub-brands as a digital-first Egyptian financial services platform, though focused on retail banking rather than lending or ROSCA.
• Valu: Egyptian BNPL and consumer finance platform serving retail customers. Comparable to Pharos's Abgad and El Game3eya as a regulated Egyptian consumer-finance and digital-savings platform, with overlapping underbanked and middle-market customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Fawry: Largest Egyptian digital payments fintech, listed on the Egyptian Exchange. Comparable to Pharos's Fawateerak and broader NBFS portfolio as a scaled Egyptian fintech serving underbanked and unbanked segments, but with a much larger payments-led platform.
• Commercial International Bank (CIB) Egypt: Largest private-sector bank in Egypt, providing retail, corporate, and investment banking services. Comparable to Pharos as a leading Egyptian financial services institution serving both consumer and brokerage-side customers, and the acquirer of Pharos's former brokerage business.
• Beltone Financial: Cairo-based investment bank offering brokerage, asset management, and advisory services. Comparable to Pharos's historical investment banking and current asset management heritage, with overlapping Egyptian wealth management and capital markets focus.
• Banque Misr: One of Egypt's largest state-owned commercial banks, providing retail, corporate, and Islamic banking services. Comparable to Pharos as a major Egyptian financial services franchise with deep institutional relationships, though operating at a much larger scale across the full banking stack.
• EFG-Hermes: Major Egyptian investment bank that acquired Pharos's brokerage and advisory businesses in 2018. Comparable as a large Cairo-based financial services firm with a comprehensive investment banking, brokerage, and asset management stack, though with a much broader institutional focus.

Direct peers

• MNT-Halan: Cairo-based Egyptian fintech offering nano-lending, payments, and broader financial services to underbanked populations. Directly comparable to Pharos's Kashat and broader NBFS portfolio because both target the same Egyptian underbanked segment with regulated digital lending and adjacent financial services.
• Khazna: Egyptian fintech providing lending and financial services to salaried and underbanked customers. Comparable to Pharos's Kashat and Abgad as a regulated digital lender operating in the Egyptian market with similar customer segments.
• Raseedi B.V. Dutch-registered but Egypt-focused fintech building the largest community for underbanked populations. Directly comparable as the merger partner for Pharos's Kashat, serving the same underbanked customer base with community-led financial inclusion products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PharosHoldingEG/about
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pharosholding
• Xx.com/pharos_holding

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pharos Holding