Grab in Talks to Acquire BNPL Provider Atome Financial
Southeast Asian ride-hailing and food-delivery platform Grab is negotiating to acquire Singapore-based buy-now-pay-later firm Atome Financial, with the deal potentially valuing the company at over $2 billion.
Grab, a prominent ride-hailing and food-delivery platform operating across Southeast Asia, is in advanced discussions to acquire Atome Financial, a Singapore-based buy-now-pay-later provider. According to Bloomberg, citing sources close to the negotiations, the transaction could value Atome at more than $2 billion. The announcement emerged on September 10, signaling Grab's continued push into financial services.
The acquisition aligns with Grab's broader strategy of fueling growth through strategic purchases. Earlier this year, the company acquired Stash Financial, signaling a deliberate effort to build out its fintech and payment capabilities within its own ecosystem. By integrating BNPL solutions directly into its platform, Grab aims to offer users seamless financing options for purchases—from food orders to quick commerce transactions.
For Grab's merchant and user base, this move translates into expanded payment flexibility. Users will gain access to installment-based buying options integrated natively within the Grab app, reducing friction at checkout and potentially increasing order values and transaction frequency. For merchants, the availability of BNPL could boost conversion rates, particularly among price-sensitive customers.
The Southeast Asian BNPL market has grown significantly in recent years, with multiple digital platforms racing to own their payment and lending infrastructure. By acquiring Atome, Grab would instantly gain an established BNPL player while layering it into a platform with tens of millions of monthly active users. This combination could dramatically accelerate Atome's user acquisition and market penetration.
The move also reduces Grab's reliance on third-party payment processors and lenders, giving the company greater control over the customer financial experience and the data generated from credit and lending transactions. If completed, the acquisition would position Grab as a significantly stronger player in Southeast Asian fintech.