Cashew Payments
“Can a GCC-focused BNPL platform capture the embedded lending market for large-ticket purchases by combining fintech technology with regulated bank credit infrastructure?”
Founded2021
HQUnited Arab Emirates
Total raised$81M
IndustryFintech / Lending
The story
Founded in 2021 in the UAE, Cashew Payments targets the GCC consumer finance gap by offering Buy Now Pay Later and flexible instalment products for larger purchases — differentiating from traditional BNPL by supporting higher ticket sizes and longer tenures. The company has pursued an embedded lending strategy, partnering with Mashreq Bank in 2026 to integrate bank-regulated credit decisioning with Cashew's technology platform at the point of purchase.
Product timeline
2021
Cashew Payments founded in UAE to provide BNPL and flexible instalment financing across the GCC region.· lending
2026
Announced expanded embedded lending partnership with Mashreq Bank, enabling financing up to AED 150,000 with repayment periods up to 48 months across automotive, home improvement, healthcare, education, and lifestyle.· lending
Regulated entities
1
regulatory licence held by Cashew Payments
Licence types, jurisdictions and registered entities are in the Embedded Finance Index report.
The stack
2 layers disclosed in Cashew Payments’s embedded-finance stack
Lending
BNPL instalment paymentsFlexible monthly instalment financingEmbedded lending via Mashreq partnership (up to AED 150,000, up to 48 months)
Sponsor bank
in the full report
Accounting gap: none
1 more provider across 1 layer, with confidence-scored evidence and source URLs, are in the Embedded Finance Index report.