{
  "id": 7553220,
  "title": "Grab’s US$1.49B Atome deal signals a deeper race for SEA’s credit economy",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/grabs-us-1-49b-atome-deal-signals-a-deeper-race-for-seas-credit",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-15T12:11:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "e27",
    "slug": "e27",
    "url": "https://e27.co/grabs-us1-49b-atome-deal-signals-a-deeper-race-for-seas-credit-economy-20260915/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Grab, the superapp operator listed on the Nasdaq, has announced it will pay US$1.49 billion to acquire 60% control of Atome Financial, a buy now, pay later (BNPL) and digital lending business under Advance Intelligence Group (AIGL). This is the largest fintech acquisition in Southeast Asia this year, signaling a deeper race for the region's credit economy. Atome Financial brings two businesses into Grab's portfolio: Atome, the BNPL brand familiar to shoppers on Shopee, Tokopedia, or Lazada; and Kredit Pintar, an Indonesia-based digital lender regulated by the OJK. Together, they operate across Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand, with 25 million cumulative transacted users and a US$1 billion gross loan portfolio. Grab's President and COO, Alex Hungate, sees the deal as extending the company's existing financial services, which already provide payments, digital banks, partner lending, and insurance to its users. By acquiring Atome Financial, Grab aims to expand its reach in credit by tapping into a second data set built on retail spending and instalment repayment behavior, which complements Grab's existing data from its ride-hailing and delivery services. The transaction includes two phases, with Phase 1 closing for US$1.49 billion, and Phase 2 buying the remaining 40% at a formula-based valuation pegged between US$2 billion and US$4.5 billion.",
  "summary": "Grab Holdings is done dabbling in consumer lending. The Nasdaq-listed superapp operator has announced that it will pay US$1.49 billion in cash for a controlling 60 per cent stake in Atome Financial, the buy now, pay later (BNPL) and digital lending arm of Advance Intelligence Group (AIGL). It is, by some distance, the biggest fintech […] The post Grab’s US$1.49B Atome deal signals a deeper race…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Grab takes majority stake in Atome Financial in US$1.49 billion deal",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/grab-takes-majority-stake-in-atome-financial-in-us-1-49-billion-deal",
        "published": "2026-09-15T11:04:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Nikkei Asia",
        "title": "Grab to buy Singapore-based Atome Financial for $1.49bn to boost consumer lending",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/grab-to-buy-singapore-based-atome-financial-for-1-49bn-to-boost",
        "published": "2026-09-15T11:32:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Grab set to acquire Atome stake for US$1.49bil to expand lending",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/grab-set-to-acquire-atome-stake-for-us-1-49bil-to-expand-lending",
        "published": "2026-09-15T14:25:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}