Credit Saison Brazil
“Can a 70-year-old Japanese credit card issuer become the lending backbone for underserved Brazilian SMBs by first funding local fintechs and then launching its own online bank?”
Founded2023
HQSão Paulo, Brazil
Total raised$100M parent commitment (2024)
Latest roundParent capital injection
IndustryFintech / Lending
The story
Credit Saison Brazil was established in 2023 as the São Paulo arm of Japan's Credit Saison (TYO: 8253), operating through Saison International (Singapore). Initially focused on providing debt and equity investments to Brazilian fintechs (e.g., Zippi FIDC anchor investor), the company is now pivoting toward direct financial services — filing for an SCFI license in early 2026 to launch its own online banking business targeting SMBs and self-employed workers, competing in the neobank category pioneered by Nubank.
Product timeline
2023
Credit Saison Brazil (CSBR) established in São Paulo as subsidiary of Credit Saison Co. Ltd. (Japan) via Saison International (Singapore)· launch
2024
Parent Credit Saison commits $100M investment in Brazil to work with fintechs and intermediaries· funding
2025
Led USD $44M FIDC issuance for Zippi (Brazilian microbusiness credit fintech) as first international investor· lending
2026
Filed application with Banco Central do Brasil for SCFI license to launch online bank offering loans and credit cards to SMBs and self-employed· banking
Regulated entities
1
regulatory licence held by Credit Saison Brazil
Licence types, jurisdictions and registered entities are in the Embedded Finance Index report.
The stack
1 layer disclosed in Credit Saison Brazil’s embedded-finance stack
Lending
Credit Saison Brazil (in-house)Debt investments in Brazilian fintechsEquity investmentsFIDC anchor investment (e.g., Zippi $44M)Planned direct SMB lending
Accounting gap: none