Egyptian fintech company Blnk has raised $37 million in a funding round to expand its point-of-sale credit platform for consumers. The round was led by Egyptian bank EFG Hermes, with participation from existing investors Sawari Ventures, as well as new backer Abu Dhabi–based Outliers Venture Capital. The capital will be used to deepen the company's lending services at retail locations across Egypt.

Founded in 2021, Blnk operates a platform that allows consumers to purchase goods and services at partner merchants and pay for them in installments, often with instant credit approval at the checkout. The company says its technology enables merchants to offer credit without taking on the associated risk or capital requirements themselves. The $37 million injection is intended to fuel the expansion of this network and the underlying credit offerings.

The funding arrives amid a broader push to increase access to formal credit in Egypt, where a significant portion of the population remains underserved by traditional banks. Fintech solutions, particularly those leveraging mobile technology and alternative data for credit scoring, have been seen as a key avenue for improving financial inclusion. Blnk's model targets a specific gap in the market by embedding financing directly into the consumer purchasing journey at physical and online stores.

Point-of-sale financing has gained traction in several African markets as consumers seek more flexible payment options for larger purchases. In Egypt, the model competes with traditional installment plans offered by retailers and banks, as well as with growing buy-now-pay-later services. Blnk's ability to secure a significant round led by a prominent financial institution signals growing institutional confidence in the segment's potential.

The broader African fintech lending landscape has seen increased activity from both equity investors and debt providers. In a separate development this month, Nigeria's Access Holdings, led by Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, secured a $500 million facility from the International Finance Corporation to support local currency lending across the continent. While not connected to Blnk's raise, the IFC deal underscores a wider trend of large-scale capital being deployed to address the continent's credit gap, albeit through different channels and for different target borrowers.

For Blnk, the challenge will be scaling its merchant network and credit portfolio while managing the risks inherent in consumer lending. The company has not disclosed its current transaction volumes or the size of its loan book. The involvement of EFG Hermes as a lead investor provides not just capital but also potential banking partnerships and financial expertise as the fintech seeks to grow its operations in a competitive market.