Zamanat Targets GCC’s $250 Billion SME Financing Gap With Up to $100 Million Tokenized Private Credit Fund
Dubai, UAE, September tenth, 2026, Chainwire
Zamanat Fund CEIC Limited is the corporate’s first reside proof level for regulated fund tokenization on ZIGChain targeted on GCC personal credit score.
Zamanat at this time introduced its sponsorship of Zamanat Fund CEIC Limited (the “Fund”), a DIFC-domiciled tokenized personal credit score fund with a goal measurement of up to USD 100 million. The Fund targets the GCC’s estimated $250 billion SME financing hole, with solely 11 p.c of SMEs throughout the area having entry to credit score.
Closing a $250 billion structural hole in GCC SME credit score
Across the GCC, SMEs are central to financial progress but stay considerably underserved by conventional financing. In the UAE, SMEs generate greater than half of GDP and make use of nearly all of the private-sector workforce, but obtain lower than 10 p.c of whole financial institution lending.
The Fund will spend money on personal credit score throughout the area, directing capital in direction of robust homegrown firms whose financing wants aren’t absolutely met by conventional lending channels. The technique helps nationwide ambitions to broaden SME participation, private-sector progress and entry to various financing, together with priorities set out beneath Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE Centennial 2071.
“Strong companies throughout the GCC nonetheless battle to entry progress capital regardless of sound fundamentals. Zamanat sponsored the Fund to create a reputable route between these companies and institutional capital. With a goal measurement of up to USD 100 million and pursuits issued as Investment Tokens, it’s our first reside proof level for bringing GCC personal credit score right into a regulated digital construction for Professional Clients,” stated Umair Tariq, Founder and CEO of Zamanat.
Bringing GCC personal credit score into digital markets
Tokenization expands the infrastructure round historically hard-to-access private-market property with out altering the underlying funding or credit score profile.
The Fund combines a regional personal credit score technique, a DIFC fund construction, institutional administration and digital issuance on ZIGChain. It supplies a primary reside demonstration of how regional personal credit score will be introduced right into a DFSA-regulated tokenized construction for Professional Clients.
The Fund is a DFSA-regulated closed-ended fund registered as an Exempt Fund and labeled as a Credit Fund. It is managed by Truleum Venture Partners Limited and administered by Apex Group. Fund pursuits will probably be issued as ZM1 Investment Tokens on ZIGChain inside a regulated, whitelisted surroundings.
As sponsor, Zamanat brings its regional personal credit score, funding structuring and institutional partnership experience to the Fund’s improvement. Truleum retains duty for all regulated fund-management actions.
The ZM1 Investment Token construction supplies a blockchain-native possession and settlement layer throughout the Fund’s regulated framework. It additionally permits qualifying traders who meet the DFSA Professional Client standards to take part alongside institutional traders.
Zamanat is backed by Disrupt.com, a MENA-based, operator-led AI-native enterprise builder and lead investor within the enterprise.
Building the worldwide marketplace for Digital Shariah Assets
Global Islamic finance property are projected to attain $9.7 trillion by 2029, but demand for digital and Shariah-aligned property is rising quicker than the institutional infrastructure connecting them with international capital.
Zamanat continues to construct the worldwide marketplace for Digital Shariah Assets. Its wider working mannequin combines funding structuring, Shariah experience, regulated accomplice routes and digital distribution to convey real-world property to market by conventional and digital channels.
The DIFC-domiciled Fund evidences the regulated fund-tokenization, digital possession and partner-orchestration functionality inside that wider construct. Zamanat is progressing a separate pipeline of Digital Shariah Assets throughout personal credit score, receivables, actual property and different asset lessons.
Institutional partnerships
Apex Group acts as Fund Administrator, offering institutional fund administration and controls from the outset.
“Zamanat is supporting the creation of a brand new class in Digital Assets. Bringing institutional construction and digital distribution collectively inside a DFSA-regulated framework units the usual for the way this market needs to be constructed, and this fund reveals the mannequin working at institutional scale. We are proud to help the infrastructure behind it, and we glance ahead to partnering additional on the tasks Zamanat already has in movement,” stated Peter Hughes, Founder & CEO, Apex Group.
The international marketplace for Digital Shariah Assets doesn’t but exist as an institutional class. Zamanat is constructing it.
Notes to Editors
Sources
LSEG and ICD, 2025 Islamic Finance Development Indicator Report, 14 October 2025 (international Islamic finance property projected to attain $9.7 trillion by 2029); World Bank, Competition within the GCC SME Lending Markets: An Initial Assessment (estimated $250 billion GCC SME credit score hole; 11 p.c of SMEs with entry to credit score); Kearney, GCC Retail Banking Radar 2024.
Investor discover
This communication as associated to Zamanat Fund CEIC Limited is permitted by Truleum Venture Partners Limited within the DIFC (DFSA License Number: F008013).
This launch is for data solely. It isn’t a proposal, invitation or suggestion to subscribe for pursuits in Zamanat Fund CEIC Limited or purchase ZM1 Investment Tokens. Any participation will probably be made solely by the Fund Manager, closing providing paperwork and relevant Professional Client eligibility necessities. For avoidance of doubt, this communication is meant for and directed solely to traders who meet the necessities to be thought-about Professional Clients as specified beneath the Dubai Financial Services Authority Conduct of Business Rulebook, Rule 2.3.3. The Fund is an ‘Exempt Fund’. Accordingly, the ZM1 Investment Tokens can be found solely to Professional Clients.
This launch and the data contained herein doesn’t represent, and isn’t supposed to represent, a public provide of securities in another jurisdiction and accordingly shouldn’t be construed as such. The ZM1 Investment Tokens are solely obtainable to a restricted variety of traders from the DIFC. The ZM1 Investment Tokens haven’t been permitted by or licensed or registered with another related licensing authority or governmental company. No transaction will probably be concluded in onshore UAE outdoors the DIFC.
The Fund isn’t an Islamic Fund and isn’t marketed as Shariah-compliant. References to Shariah on this launch relate to Zamanat’s broader platform and market ambition and never to the Fund.
About Zamanat
Zamanat is constructing the worldwide marketplace for Digital Shariah Assets. The firm connects asset originators with international capital by funding structuring, Shariah experience, regulated accomplice routes, tokenization and distribution throughout conventional and digital channels.
Zamanat additionally sponsors and develops institutional funding merchandise by appropriately licensed companions. Each product follows its personal authorized and regulatory framework and, the place offered as Shariah-aligned, its personal product-specific Shariah overview and governance course of. Website: www.zamanathq.com
Contact
Global Head of PR & Communications
Katarzyna Kosior
disrupt.com
data@zamanathq.com
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