YouLend, Värde partner to expand embedded lending

By Vriti Gothi

YouLend has secured a multi-year forward-flow financing facility from Värde Partners, in a move aimed at expanding its capital base and accelerating growth in the United States.

The agreement enables Värde to purchase up to $225 million in receivables originated by YouLend. Structured as a forward-flow arrangement, the facility is designed to provide committed, scalable funding to support the company’s U.S. originations.

Founded in 2016, YouLend provides embedded financing to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) through partnerships with eCommerce, payments and technology platforms. Its model allows merchants to access working capital directly within the platforms they use to manage their operations, integrating credit into existing digital workflows.

The new facility comes amid rising demand for embedded lending infrastructure, as enterprise platforms increasingly seek to integrate financial services into their merchant ecosystems. By securing additional long-term funding capacity, YouLend aims to strengthen its position in the U.S., a market where SMBs account for between 43.5% and 50.7% of GDP and have historically generated 62.7% of net new jobs.

To date, the company says it has provided funding to more than 370,000 businesses globally. It recently expanded into a larger U.S. headquarters in Atlanta to accommodate its growing American team and, in January 2026, opened a Berlin office to extend its European Union footprint.

“Securing this facility is a significant step in scaling our U.S. platform,” said Gaurav Maheshwari, Head of Capital Markets, at YouLend. “Värde’s deep experience in U.S. asset-backed credit and speciality finance makes them a strong partner as we continue to invest in our U.S. capabilities and meet growing merchant demand in this core market.”

Nikhil Gupta, Managing Director at Värde Partners, added, “Värde is pleased to support YouLend’s efforts to expand its capital base in the U.S., and we look forward to fostering a long-term partnership as YouLend continues to scale its footprint globally. This was an attractive partnership for us, particularly as YouLend operates in a market we know well, having ourselves financed numerous FinTech payment processing platforms over the years. ”

The transaction highlights continued investor appetite for asset-backed structures linked to embedded finance models. For YouLend, the forward-flow facility provides additional balance sheet flexibility as competition intensifies among platforms seeking to offer integrated credit solutions to U.S. small businesses.