Colombian financial technology company Bold has secured an $11.3 million credit facility from BBVA Spark, the specialized venture debt and growth banking arm of global financial institution BBVA, as the startup looks to significantly scale its lending operations for businesses across the Andean region.
Founded in 2020, Bold has rapidly emerged as a prominent player in Latin America’s evolving financial technology landscape, providing essential financial services and digital infrastructure to small and medium-sized enterprises in Colombia and Peru. The company initially built its reputation and market presence by offering affordable, accessible payment terminals that allowed micro-merchants and small business owners to accept card payments easily. Over the subsequent years, Bold systematically expanded its product ecosystem, transitioning from simple hardware-based point-of-sale solutions into a comprehensive digital financial services provider. Today, its portfolio includes advanced digital payments processing, merchant deposits, business loans, and customized savings products designed to meet the sophisticated needs of modern merchants.
According to the terms of the new agreement, Bold will channel the $11.3 million financing directly into expanding its commercial lending portfolio. This capital injection will enable the fintech to extend credit to a broader segment of Colombian businesses, many of which historically face significant barriers when attempting to access traditional commercial banking products and institutional lines of credit. By leveraging fresh capital from BBVA Spark, Bold aims to bridge the persistent financing gap that challenges small and medium enterprises throughout the country, thereby fostering local economic development and enterprise growth.
The scale of Bold’s operations underscores its rapid trajectory within the Latin American fintech sector. Since its inception just a few years ago, the company has successfully served over 700,000 merchants across its core markets of Colombia and Peru. Furthermore, Bold currently processes approximately $5.4 billion annually in card and QR code payments, reflecting high transaction volumes and widespread merchant adoption. This vast footprint demonstrates the company’s vital role in modernizing retail commerce and digitizing financial transactions in markets where cash has traditionally dominated commercial exchanges.
The partnership with BBVA Spark represents a strategic milestone for Bold as it continues to mature from an early-stage startup into an established financial institution. BBVA Spark, which specifically targets high-growth technology companies with innovative financing solutions, provides non-dilutive capital structures that allow companies like Bold to scale their operations without forcing founders or existing shareholders to surrender additional equity. This form of growth financing is increasingly utilized by top-tier Latin American fintechs seeking to fuel asset growth, particularly in capital-intensive verticals such as digital lending and merchant cash advances.
As Bold deploys the newly acquired credit facility across the Colombian market, the company remains focused on deepening its market penetration and enhancing its technological infrastructure. The strategic collaboration with BBVA Spark is expected to fortify Bold’s financial standing, providing the necessary liquidity to meet surging demand for business credit among merchants seeking to invest in inventory, expand storefronts, and navigate operational expenses. With hundreds of thousands of active merchants relying on its ecosystem for daily transactions and financial management, Bold continues to solidify its position as a cornerstone of the regional digital economy.
