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UAE credit reports to include micro-loan data, including CashNow and Botim Finance
Move follows recent inclusion of Buy Now, Pay Later data (BNPL) by Etihad Credit Bureau; CashNow among first providers to submit records for credit reports
- PUBLISHED: Tue 25 Aug 2026, 3:48 PM
Etihad Credit Bureau, the UAE’s federal entity for credit information, will now include micro-loan account data in credit reports, expanding the scope of the country’s credit reporting framework.
The data – from providers such as CashNow, submitted by Botim Finance – will be added to consumers’ credit reports. The move follows the Bureau's recent decision to fold Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) and other short-term credit information into its reporting system.
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By capturing micro-loan obligations, it aims to give financial institutions a fuller picture of an individual’s existing financial commitments, helping them make more informed lending and risk-management decisions. The update covers both new and existing CashNow customers and includes relevant historical account data.
Brian Gambin, Director of Partnerships at Etihad Credit Bureau, said the UAE’s financial landscape is evolving rapidly as consumers turn to a wider mix of credit products and digital platforms.
He said the UAE credit reports will give lenders a more complete view of consumers' obligations.
Over 1 million CashNow profiles
Dr Tariq BinHendi, CEO of Botim and Astra Tech, said Botim Finance has submitted micro-loan data linked to more than one million CashNow customer profiles to the Bureau since the second quarter of 2025.
He said this has brought a significant number of UAE residents into the formal credit reporting system through a regulated digital lending channel, and that timely repayment can now help CashNow users build a formal credit history over time.
Sara Al Binali, CEO of Reem Bank, said the bank has embedded finance model, offering salary-linked financing through fintech partners. She said it is designed to make credit more accessible while remaining grounded in responsible lending and informed decision-making.
Feeding this repayment behaviour into the formal credit reporting system, she said, helps customers build credit histories and supports a more inclusive financial ecosystem in the UAE.
