QI Tech, a Brazilian‑based financial‑services infrastructure provider, has joined forces with Bettr – the inclusive‑finance arm of Ant International – to bring a suite of credit products directly into the country’s fast‑growing online retail ecosystem. The partnership will roll out two complementary programs: working‑capital loans for small‑ and medium‑sized e‑commerce merchants and a consumer‑facing Buy Now‑Pay‑Later (BNPL) option on the AliExpress marketplace. By embedding financing at the point of sale, the collaboration seeks to address the chronic credit gap that limits the growth of Brazil’s underserved merchants and shoppers, while also creating new revenue streams for both firms. The initiative is anchored in a regulated, technology‑driven framework that leverages real‑time data, automated underwriting, and a Credit Rights Investment Fund (FIDC) to match credit supply with repayment capacity.
QI Tech and Bettr Launch Credit Programs in Brazil
In the first phase of the partnership, QI Tech will provide working‑capital loans that enable SME e‑commerce sellers to purchase additional inventory, invest in marketing, and scale logistics operations. The loans are structured to be disbursed quickly, with terms calibrated to each merchant’s sales velocity and cash‑flow profile. At the same time, Bettr will introduce a BNPL product that appears at checkout on AliExpress, allowing shoppers to split purchases into interest‑free installments. Both offerings rely on a shared technology stack that ingests transactional data from merchants, applies machine‑learning‑based risk models, and delivers instant credit decisions.
Pedro Mac Dowell, CEO and founder of QI Tech, explained that the collaboration “seeks to enable a more interconnected ecosystem, covering onboarding, credit analysis, credit issuance, and the structuring of a Credit Rights Investment Fund (FIDC).” Quan Yu, General Manager of Bettr Credit and Senior Vice President of Ant International, added that the partnership “expands broader, more flexible and secure consumer credit access, helping users manage their finances while unlocking new growth avenues for merchants.”
The two firms combine Ant International’s global digital‑payment and embedded‑finance capabilities with QI Tech’s regulated, scalable infrastructure. QI Tech’s platform includes Banking‑as‑a‑Service, Lending‑as‑a‑Service, and fund‑administration modules that are already approved by Brazil’s Central Bank (the country’s first Direct Credit Society, or SCD, license) and the securities regulator (CVM) as a broker‑dealer. This regulatory footing allows the partners to launch the Credit Rights Investment Fund (FIDC) – a pooled vehicle that can attract institutional capital to fund the new loan pipeline while providing investors with transparent, asset‑backed returns.
Brazil’s E‑Commerce Landscape and Inclusion Drive
The partnership aligns with Brazil’s broader push for inclusive finance and the structural transformation of retail driven by e‑commerce growth and digital consumption. Industry participants face tighter margins, rising logistics costs, and increasingly demanding consumers, prompting a shift toward embedded‑finance solutions that integrate payments, credit, delivery, and engagement into a single journey.
According to a Mordor Intelligence analysis, Brazil’s e‑commerce market size stands at USD 69.21 billion in 2026 and is projected to climb to USD 150.91 billion by 2031. The study highlights a strong consumer preference for payment solutions that fit naturally into the digital purchasing journey, a factor that significantly enhances the customer experience and boosts online retail conversion rates.
By embedding credit at the point of sale, the QI Tech‑Bettr initiative aims to raise average ticket sizes, lower cart abandonment, and create new revenue streams for merchants while providing SMEs with financing to build a more resilient retail ecosystem. The BNPL option, in particular, is expected to attract price‑sensitive shoppers who might otherwise defer purchases due to cash constraints, thereby expanding the addressable market for both AliExpress and participating merchants.
Market Size and Growth Outlook
The projected doubling of Brazil’s e‑commerce market over the next five years underscores the scale of opportunity for embedded‑finance providers. With the partnership’s automated underwriting and real‑time risk assessment, QI Tech and Bettr position themselves to capture a share of the financing demand generated by the expanding online retail base.
The Credit Rights Investment Fund (FIDC) adds a further layer of depth to the growth story. By channeling institutional capital into a regulated fund, the partners can scale loan volumes without over‑relying on balance‑sheet funding, while offering investors exposure to a high‑growth, credit‑backed asset class. The fund’s structure also aligns with Brazil’s regulatory emphasis on transparency and risk‑adjusted returns, potentially encouraging additional domestic and foreign participation.
Beyond the immediate loan and BNPL products, the collaboration sets a precedent for future embedded‑finance services, such as merchant‑offered financing for high‑ticket items, dynamic discounting, and loyalty‑linked credit lines. As the e‑commerce ecosystem matures, these additional offerings could further deepen financial inclusion for underserved segments, including micro‑entrepreneurs operating on marketplace platforms.
Key Takeaways
- QI Tech and Bettr will launch working‑capital loans for SME e‑commerce merchants and a BNPL option for AliExpress shoppers in Brazil.
- The services use automated transactional analysis, real‑time decisioning, and risk models to align financing with repayment capability.
- Brazil’s e‑commerce market is projected to grow from USD 69.21 billion in 2026 to USD 150.91 billion by 2031, according to Mordor Intelligence.
FinanceInsyte's Take
The collaboration demonstrates how regulated infrastructure providers can pair with embedded‑finance platforms to meet the credit needs of Brazil’s fast‑growing online market. Executives should monitor the rollout’s uptake and any regulatory guidance on FIDC structures, as these factors will shape the partnership’s scalability and impact on financial inclusion.
Source: Businesswire
