In just three years of operation, Skyro, a digital consumer finance platform operating in South-East Asia, has grown its credit portfolio almost eightfold since the end of 2023 and recorded positive operating profit, according to the company. The company reached operational break-even during the first half of 2026.
The company attributes its growth to its digital lending model, AI-driven credit assessment and expanding merchant network.
Founded by veteran fintech leaders Arsen Liametov and Nasim Aliev, and incorporated in Bahrain, Skyro began offering unsecured consumer loans in South-East Asia in 2022. The company says it has processed more than two million loan transactions.
Through an extensive network of retail partners, Skyro’s lending products are now available across the region.
“In 2022, South-East Asia became a magnet for fintech start-ups from around the world due to the clear gap between demand for accessible credit and its supply,” said Liametov. “On one side were traditional banks offering low-interest loans only to the most affluent segments of the population. On the other were payday lenders charging annualised rates of up to 400%. We chose to position ourselves between these extremes, targeting the largest and most underserved segment of the market.”
Skyro uses AI-based alternative credit-scoring methods to assess the creditworthiness of individuals who do not have a credit history. The company analyses factors such as online purchase history, smartphone usage data, and in-app behaviour, among others. This approach enables the company to go beyond traditional credit-scoring methods to build a fuller picture of an individual’s credit profile and extend loans to customers who would not otherwise receive credit from a traditional bank.
Unlike some competitors, Skyro operates as a finance company rather than a bank, using shareholder capital and external funding facilities to originate unsecured loans. The company says this structure allows it to operate with a leaner funding model.
A key driver of Skyro’s growth has been its partnerships with leading retailers across the region. The company’s point-of-sale (POS) lending and buy now, pay later (BNPL) network includes more than 3,000 merchants operating around 10,000 retail locations. In 2025, the company’s network of online merchant partners expanded more than fivefold, extending lending through e-commerce channels. In addition to merchant financing, the company also offers cash loans to existing customers.
South-East Asia is home to dozens of fintech lenders, many of which remain unprofitable and face challenges in raising capital. By contrast, Skyro reported operational break-even in the first half of 2026.
“Achieving profitability is an important milestone for Skyro,” Liametov said. “It allows us to plan the launch of complementary fintech products, including investment technology solutions and SME lending, while also expanding into new emerging markets. Liametov said achieving operational profitability positions the company to expand its product offering and enter additional markets.
At the core of Skyro’s performance is a data-driven pricing model that carefully manages both funding costs and credit risk. The company employs professionals with experience at major fintech firms, including Mastercard, Tabby, Hala, and Tinkoff Credit Systems. The team has developed proprietary lending technology that can be adapted for different countries while accounting for local regulations and consumer behaviour.
Liametov attributes part of Skyro’s success to its ability to develop innovative financial products for emerging market segments and introduce them through regulatory sandbox frameworks, enabling the company to test and refine new solutions within established regulatory environments.
This approach enables Skyro to disburse loans within minutes of approval, compared with the several days typically required by traditional banks in South-East Asia.
By leveraging its growing customer base and an advanced AI-powered credit assessment system, the company has reduced portfolio risk significantly while increasing its average loan size over the past year. Liametov sees considerable room for growth in South-East Asia’s lending market based on the region’s current credit-to-GDP ratio relative to developed economies.
Skyro is also pursuing growth opportunities elsewhere, beyond South-East Asia. Despite the rapid expansion of the global fintech industry, many countries continue to operate under conservative financial regulatory frameworks. As regulations evolve, digital lending is expected to disrupt these markets, and Skyro believes expanding regulatory frameworks may create additional opportunities for digital lending in new markets.