Moneyboxx Finance launched SmartBiz Loan, an unsecured digital lending product, in partnership with Trusave Fintech (Bachatt) on August 31, 2026.

Partnership overview

The collaboration brings together a digital lending solution under the SmartBiz Loan brand. The platform is designed to serve small businesses seeking access to formal credit channels. Moneyboxx remains the lender, independently evaluating and underwriting all loan applications in accordance with its credit policies and regulatory requirements. Bachatt acts as a Lending Service Provider (LSP), leveraging API-based integrations for customer acquisition, digital onboarding, operations, and servicing.

Focus on small business credit

The SmartBiz Loan platform addresses credit accessibility for small businesses, a segment that has historically faced challenges in obtaining formal financing. The digital nature of the platform is positioned to streamline the lending process for this segment. It caters to the domestic market.

Strategic details

Moneyboxx Finance Limited announced the strategic partnership with Trusave Fintech Private Limited, known as Bachatt, on September 1, 2026. Bachatt will act as a Lending Service Provider (LSP), leveraging API-based integrations for customer acquisition, digital onboarding, operations, and servicing. Moneyboxx remains the lender, independently evaluating and underwriting all loan applications in accordance with its credit policies and regulatory requirements.

Bachatt is backed by investors including Accel, Lightspeed, and Info Edge Ventures. The partnership combines Bachatt's technology and digital distribution capabilities with Moneyboxx's credit underwriting and lending expertise.

Operational targets

The platform aims to expand reach to nano and micro enterprises and self-employed individuals seeking smaller-ticket business loans. Key operational targets include:

• Approval turnaround time of under 5 minutes, subject to applicable credit processes.
• Addressing short-term and seasonal working-capital requirements, including inventory purchases and festive demand.
• Improving the economics and scalability of small-ticket lending through digital sourcing and servicing.

Growth strategy

The launch marks the beginning of Moneyboxx's digital lending journey, complementing its established branch-led model. The company operates over 140 branches across 12 states, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. It provides secured and unsecured business loans ranging from ₹ 1 to ₹ 25 Lakh to underserved entrepreneurs in segments such as livestock, kirana, retail traders, and micro manufacturers.

Moneyboxx Finance reported a decline in profitability for the first quarter of fiscal year 2027 (Q1FY27), attributing the contraction to a strategic pivot in its lending portfolio. The company logged a net profit of ₹0.21 crore, down from ₹0.24 crore in Q1FY26. Total income fell to ₹52.12 crore from ₹590 million (approximately ₹59 crore) in the prior year’s first quarter, reflecting reduced disbursements as management prioritized credit quality over volume.

Financial Performance

The financial results highlight the impact of shifting from unsecured to secured lending. Net interest income and fee income dropped to ₹31.02 crore from ₹38.52 crore in Q1FY26. Consequently, the net interest margin (NIM) contracted to 12.3% from 14.36% in the previous year. Operating expenses remained controlled at ₹28.59 crore, slightly lower than the ₹29.75 crore recorded in Q1FY26, despite ongoing investments in technology and collection infrastructure.

Portfolio Transition and AUM Growth

Asset under management (AUM) stood at ₹832 crore as of June 2026, representing a 5% year-on-year growth on an underlying basis excluding asset reconstruction company (ARC) impacts. The composition of the loan book has shifted significantly, with secured loans now accounting for approximately 75% of AUM, up from 49% in June 2025. Management targets reaching approximately 80% secured AUM by March 2027.

Disbursements moderated to ₹77 crore in Q1FY27, compared to ₹92 crore in Q1FY26. This deceleration stems from the cessation of unsecured loan disbursements in most regions since April 2026 and a focus on ticket sizes above ₹5 lakh. Secured loans constituted 87% of disbursements during the quarter, up from 67% in FY26. Approximately 70% of disbursements were in ticket sizes above ₹5 lakh, and 75% were extended to customers with a bureau score of 650 or higher.

Strategic Initiatives and Partnership Model

Moneyboxx Finance is increasingly relying on partnership-led sourcing to drive efficient growth. In July 2026, 15% of disbursements came through partnerships, with management targeting 20-25% monthly contribution in the near term and at least 30% by January 2027. These partnerships, particularly in renewable energy and dairy segments, often include default loss guarantees, mitigating credit risk despite potentially lower headline yields.

Renewable energy lending has gained traction, with cumulative disbursements crossing ₹10 crore by July 2026. Solar loans, which are secured by assets and supported by OEMs, contributed 15% of July disbursements. Management aims for renewable energy loans to constitute approximately 10% of AUM by the end of FY27. Additionally, the company raised ₹70 crore through non-convertible debentures (NCDs) in the first four months of FY27, including ₹50 crore from Capri Global during the quarter. Capital adequacy stood at 28.65% as of June 2026.

What the Numbers Show

The divergence between total income and operating expenses underscores the margin pressure inherent in the current transition phase. With operating expenses at ₹28.59 crore against a net interest income of ₹31.02 crore, the pre-provisioning operating profit was squeezed to just ₹2.43 crore. This thin operational buffer highlights that the current profitability model is highly sensitive to yield compression. The shift to secured lending, while reducing credit risk, has immediately impacted top-line yields (NIM falling from 14.36% to 12.3%), demonstrating that the cost of acquiring higher-quality collateral and larger ticket sizes currently outweighs the benefits of lower credit costs in the short term.