Romania steps into the big league of fintech - Best Credit IFN becomes the first Romanian NBFI to partner with Bondster

Best Credit IFN announces the strategic partnership with the European crowdfunding platform Bondster, becoming the first Romanian non-banking financial institution (NBFI) to attract international capital through this platform. This initial round of financing marks a milestone in the company’s strategy to diversify its capital sources and rapidly scale its lending capacity in a dynamic market context, where growing demand for fast and accessible financial solutions is driving expansion.

The capital raised by Best Credit IFN will be used to support the issuance of a greater number of loans in a shorter period of time. Thus, the collaboration between the two entities paves the way for the company to establish a sustainable, international financing structure with recurring cash flows, based on investments made directly by individual investors from around the world.

“The partnership with Bondster marks an important step in the development of Best Credit IFN and confirms the trust that international investors place in our business model. This financing round lays a solid foundation for accelerated growth by enabling us to expand our lending capacity and respond more promptly to customer needs. We anticipate a major impact in the next 12–18 months, with a 50% increase in new loan volume by the end of 2025, and a cumulative growth of approximately 90% by the end of 2026, all supported by a diversified and sustainable financial structure”, stated Lavinia Ungureanu, CEO of Best Credit IFN.

Bondster operates on a peer-to-peer lending model, promoting only low-risk loans. The portfolio published by Best Credit IFN includes only contracts with a strong payment history, clients classified in favorable risk categories, and terms that meet the expectations of international investors. This partnership is based on shared criteria of quality and financial ethics, contributing to the enhancement of the local microfinance market.

“We are proud to welcome Best Credit IFN as the first Romanian NBFI on our platform. This partnership reflects our commitment to expanding access to responsible and transparent financing across Europe. Best Credit IFN’s strong track record and focus on sustainable lending align perfectly with Bondster’s values. We believe this collaboration will not only benefit Romanian borrowers but also offer our investors a new, high-quality opportunity,” said David Jukl, Executive Director at Bondster.

The new capital source enhances the bank financing obtained by the company from OTP Bank in the last quarter of 2024. While the previous funding round enabled the company to double the number of loans granted in a short time, the collaboration with Bondster is expected to have a triple impact. In terms of increasing lending capacity, the company estimates that it will be able to triple the volume of new loans compared to the period before its first financing from OTP Bank.