← State of Embedded Finance 2026

Carwow

Can a car-changing marketplace own the embedded payments and dealer financing layer of every UK vehicle transaction?

Founded2010
HQLondon, United Kingdom
Latest round$52M (2024)
IndustryMarketplace / Automotive
The story

Carwow began as a new-car lead-gen marketplace connecting consumers to franchise dealers. In 2021 it added a sell-side auction product letting private sellers sell directly to dealers, which created a need for embedded payments. In 2025 it embedded Airwallex's API to power Carwow Wallet, and in 2026 integrated NextGear Capital floorplan financing — pushing it from a media/leads business toward an end-to-end automotive transaction platform with embedded payments and dealer working-capital.

Last 12 months
2025-01
2026-03
Product timeline
2021
Launched daily online auctions enabling private sellers to sell directly to dealers· marketplace
2024
Raised $52M led by Bessemer Venture Partners to accelerate UK, Germany, Spain growth· funding
2025
Launched Carwow Wallet powered by Airwallex Scale Native API for enterprise dealer payments· banking
2026
Integrated NextGear Capital stock funding into Carwow Wallet· lending
Regulated entities
FCA authorisation (credit broking & insurance distribution)
UK FCA
Carwow Ltd (FRN 767155)
Appointed Representative (credit broking)
UK FCA
Carwow Leasey Limited (AR of ITC Compliance Limited, FRN 313486)
The stack
Payments / PSP
Airwallex
Banking / BaaS
Airwallex
Lending
Stock funding inside Carwow Wallet (NextGear Capital facility)Credit broking for consumer car finance (Carwow Ltd, FCA-regulated)Carwow Leasey (AR of ITC Compliance)
FX & payouts
Airwallex
Accounting gap: minor