ClickPesa launches a DeFi debt fund on Stellar's Soroban to bridge the $421 billion financing gap for SMEs and women entrepreneurs in Africa, partnering with microfinance institutions to automate lending and expand capital access.
ClickPesa has launched the ClickPesa Debt Fund, a DeFi facility built on Stellar's Soroban smart contracts platform designed to address the massive financing gap for small and medium enterprises across Africa, particularly in Tanzania where SMEs contribute a third of GDP. The platform integrates ClickPesa MFI, which provides borrowing, compliance, digital payments, and data automation services to microfinance institutions. By partnering with major loan management solution providers representing 20% of Tanzania's total MFI loan book, ClickPesa has created a credit distribution network that streamlines operations, automates processes, and creates on-chain transparency. The initiative specifically targets women-owned businesses, which represent 54% of Tanzania's 3 million SMEs, and enables MFIs to access crucial capital to extend more loans to underserved entrepreneurs.