Wio Bank and Geidea expand SME financing access in the UAE

By Milan Rojan

Wio Bank PJSC has partnered with Geidea to bring business banking and financing solutions directly to SMEs across the UAE through Geidea’s merchant ecosystem.

Under the partnership, eligible Geidea merchants have gained access to Wio Business accounts and financing products through a more streamlined journey. Geidea has served as a referral and distribution channel, while Wio has retained responsibility for financing assessments, approvals, onboarding and disbursements under its own underwriting and regulatory framework.

Prateek Vahie, Chief Commercial Officer at Wio Bank PJSC, said, “SMEs are the backbone of the UAE economy, yet access to financing remains one of the most fragmented parts of their journey. By partnering with Geidea, we’re embedding Wio’s digital banking and lending capabilities directly into the tools merchants already rely on every day. This is what a modern banking ecosystem should look like: connected, intuitive, and designed to help businesses grow.”

The companies have said the collaboration was designed to simplify access to financial services for SMEs, which have often faced fragmented banking and funding processes. By embedding banking and financing capabilities into an existing merchant platform, the partners have sought to create a more connected experience for businesses.

The collaboration has combined Geidea’s merchant network with Wio’s banking and lending capabilities, enabling businesses to access operational and financial tools through a more unified ecosystem. The companies have said this approach has reduced the need for merchants to navigate multiple providers when managing payments, banking and financing requirements.

Pankaj Kundra, Chief Executive Officer at Geidea UAE., said, “SMEs need financial solutions that move at the pace of their business. This collaboration strengthens our ability to support merchants with more than payment acceptance alone. By bringing together operational and financial capabilities into a more connected experience, we are helping businesses access the tools they need to operate more efficiently, manage growth with greater confidence.”

The partnership has reflected the growing adoption of embedded finance across the region, as financial institutions and technology providers have increasingly integrated banking services into the digital platforms businesses already use to manage their day-to-day operations.