UAE credit reports now include micro-loans such as CashNow

Dubai: Micro-loans are now being reflected in UAE credit reports, expanding the financial commitments that banks and other authorised lenders can see when assessing a consumer’s credit position.

Etihad Credit Bureau said on Tuesday that micro-loan account information from providers such as CashNow, submitted by Botim Finance, formerly Quantix, has been incorporated into the country's credit reporting framework.

The change covers both existing and new CashNow customers and includes relevant historical account information.

It follows the recent inclusion of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) and other short-term credit information in UAE credit reports, bringing another increasingly used form of digital consumer borrowing into the formal credit reporting system.

Botim Finance has submitted micro-loan account data linked to more than one million CashNow customer profiles to Etihad Credit Bureau since the second quarter of 2025, according to Dr Tariq BinHendi, CEO of Botim and CEO and Board Member of Astra Tech.

For consumers, this means their micro-loan obligations and repayment behaviour can form part of the credit information available to participating financial institutions and other authorised entities.

The additional information gives lenders a broader view of an individual's existing financial commitments when making credit assessments and managing lending risks.

“The UAE’s financial landscape continues to evolve, with consumers accessing credit through an increasingly diverse range of products and digital channels,” said Brian Gambin, Director of Partnerships at Etihad Credit Bureau.

“Following our recent inclusion of Buy Now, Pay Later data, the commencement of micro-loans data submissions such as ‘CashNow’ from Botim Finance marks another important step in broadening the information captured within UAE credit reports.”

The inclusion also means repayment behaviour on these products can contribute to a consumer's formal credit history.

BinHendi said timely repayment by CashNow users can become part of their credit history and help individuals strengthen their credit profiles over time.

“Credit reporting and scoring are not only tools for assessing risk; they also create a pathway to financial participation,” he said.

The move forms part of Etihad Credit Bureau's efforts to broaden the information captured as new forms of consumer lending develop in the UAE. The federal entity works with financial institutions, licensed lenders and other data providers to collect credit information.

Reem Bank CEO Sara Al Binali said incorporating financing and customers' repayment behaviour into the formal reporting system can help individuals build their credit histories while supporting lenders in making informed credit decisions.

Consumers can see both BNPL and short-term loan account information included in their credit reports through the Etihad Credit Bureau app.

They can also download their credit report as a PDF from the app to check how these borrowing commitments are reflected in their credit profile.

Etihad Credit Bureau, which is wholly owned by the UAE federal government, collects, analyses and maintains credit information used to produce credit-related products and reports.