Indonesia: Administration of Equity Investment in Fairbanc Pte. Ltd.

Finance / Finance sector development

The transaction involves the administration by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) of an equity investment of up to the equivalent of $2,000,000, with an initial investment of up to $500,000 in a non-operating holding company called Fairbanc Pte Ltd (Fairbanc) in Singapore to expand its operations in Indonesia (conducted through its operating Indonesian subsidiary, PT Fairbanc Technologies Indonesia), to be provided by the ADB Ventures Investment Fund 1 under the ADB Ventures Financing Partnership Facility. The balance of the approved equity amount may be invested in subsequent fundraising rounds that Fairbanc is expected to undertake by June 2024. Consistent with the establishment arrangements for the fund, ADB will not invest its own capital alongside the fund.

Fairbanc is a financial technology (fintech) company with primary operations in Indonesia that partners with fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) distributors to offer digital micro-credit to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) for inventory purchases. Fairbanc's proprietary data science and machine learning platform leverages supply-chain data of FMCG distributor partners which allows financial institutions to assess credit risk and extend working capital to MSMEs with limited credit history and collaterals. Increased access to financial services and improved inventory management for MSMEs increase the resilience to adverse shocks, including climate relates shocks, of store owners and their extended family. Fairbanc's mission to bridge the MSME credit gap in emerging markets aligns with ADB's operational priorities of achieving greater financial inclusion and building climate and disaster resilience in Asia and the Pacific.