XenCapital Secures $50M Credit Facility from Helicap to Empower Southeast Asian Businesses

In a significant boost for Southeast Asia’s fintech and lending sectors, XenCapital, the lending arm of Indonesian unicorn Xendit, has secured a $50 million credit facility from Singapore-based alternative lending platform Helicap. This facility marks Helicap’s largest to date and is designed to provide critical financing to underbanked businesses in Southeast Asia, particularly in markets like Indonesia and the Philippines.

The collaboration is a key step in both companies' missions to enhance financial inclusion in the region. Helicap has long focused on leveraging data-driven analytics to provide responsible lending options, and this new facility will channel much-needed capital to businesses that traditional financial institutions often overlook. According to Xendit’s CEO, Moses Lo, this deal enables XenCapital to deepen its merchant lending offerings, allowing businesses to grow more rapidly by accessing flexible financing solutions.

A Closer Look at Helicap’s Role in Southeast Asia

Founded in 2018, Helicap has carved a niche in Southeast Asia’s growing alternative lending space by using advanced credit analytics to evaluate millions of data points from potential borrowers. Since its inception, Helicap has facilitated over $370 million in transactions, indirectly serving over 5 million micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the region. Helicap’s commitment to financial inclusion makes it a critical player as Southeast Asia’s fintech ecosystem continues to evolve.

Helicap’s strategy isn’t just about pushing out loans—it’s about empowering businesses with sustainable capital, all while maintaining rigorous risk management. The $50 million facility with XenCapital is a testament to their growing influence in the private debt space, aligning with their broader mission to fill a $400 billion financing gap left by traditional banks across Southeast Asia.

WOWS Insight:

This deal is more than just another credit facility; it’s a signal of Southeast Asia’s rapidly maturing fintech landscape. With venture capital tightening globally, alternative financing tools like venture debt and private credit are stepping in to keep the engine of innovation running. XenCapital’s success, backed by Helicap’s data-driven approach, demonstrates that there’s still plenty of room for growth—especially for businesses serving underbanked populations.

At WOWS, we see this as part of a larger trend where fintechs and alternative lenders are reshaping the region's financial services. Deals like this highlight the importance of adaptable financing tools in driving inclusive growth. As Southeast Asia’s startup ecosystem continues to thrive, access to flexible credit will become increasingly vital for the region’s businesses to scale. Investors should keep a close eye on how such developments foster resilience and innovation across the board.