Ritmo raises funds to conquer Europe and Latin America with its cash advances

Ritmo is a Spanish FinTech, based in the city of Madrid, which is behind a Buy Now Pay Later platform for e-retailers. Founded in 2021, it has just completed a particularly significant fundraising of €200 million to support its development. It has established itself as a hyper-dynamic player in a high-potential market, which should be followed in the coming months.

FACTS

• Ritmo provides a cash advance and Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solution to e-commerce companies in Europe and Latin America.

• It has just raised $200 million in debt from i80 Group and Avellinia Capital, making it one of the largest European rounds of financing for a company dedicated to providing credit for e-commerce.

• Ritmo has been able to attract investment thanks to its strong momentum. The FinTech reports a 12-fold growth rate in the last seven months, with over 600 loans granted in Mexico, Spain, France, the Netherlands and the UK.

• More than 2,000 customers are expected to be served by Ritmo in the next 18 months. Through targeted partnerships with large platforms (such as WorldFirst), Ritmo is able to reach 150,000 merchants.

• In just over a year since it began operations, Ritmo has raised a total of $225 million in debt and equity investment.

CHALLENGES

• Supporting the growth of e-commerce: Fractional payments are a market that has developed very quickly for consumers, but the needs of professionals have yet to be met, for a market that is proving to be much more profitable. According to Alma, the French BtoB fractional payment market is four times larger than the BtoC segment.

• Boosting its international activity: Ritmo is already planning to expand its activities. The company plans to facilitate financing for Mexican e-tailers to the tune of 2,000 million pesos via loans of up to 60 million pesos per company.

• Standing up to the competition: FinTech has been quietly rolling out in Europe, including France, where other players such as Silvr and Karmen have similar offerings.

MARKET PERSPECTIVE

• According to a study by the Mexican Association of Online Sales (AMVO), the Mexican e-commerce market grew by 27% last year, making Mexico one of the fastest growing markets in the world.

• On a global level, the dynamism of another company with strong ties to e-retailers, Klarna, already illustrates the interest of FinTechs in offering solutions adapted to this type of ultra-dynamic market.