Vayana Secures $20.5 Million in Series D Funding to Transform Trade Finance

Vayana, a leading trade finance platform, has successfully raised $20.5 million in a Series D funding round, led by the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) Asia Rising Fund. This significant investment underscores the growing confidence in Vayana’s vision to revolutionize trade finance.

The latest funding round saw robust participation from a range of prominent investors. Existing backers such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Chiratae Ventures, and Jungle Ventures contributed, alongside family offices including Quantum State Investment Fund and Emerald Company. This diverse investor pool highlights the broad support for Vayana’s innovative approach.

Funding to Drive New Product Development

The new capital will be instrumental in expanding Vayana's suite of products. The Pune-based company plans to enhance its trade credit, compliance, and risk management platforms. According to Ram Iyer, Founder and CEO of Vayana, "MSMEs [micro, small, and medium enterprises] in India contribute 30% to gross domestic product (GDP) and 62% towards employment. Their continued success will leverage India's population demographics and equitable growth across the country. Access to affordable and embedded trade credit represents the best catalyst to aid their success."

Empowering MSMEs Through Trade Finance

Founded in 2017 by Ram Iyer, Vayana offers critical trade finance solutions to suppliers and small enterprises across various sectors, including automotive, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), and manufacturing. The platform facilitates over $1 billion in financing each month through collaborations with banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs). Vayana’s reach extends to more than 3,000 supply chains across 600 cities in India, serving over 300,000 enterprises.

Additionally, Vayana operates as a GST Suvidha Provider (GSP), delivering comprehensive GST, e-way bill, and online invoicing solutions tailored for corporates and MSMEs. This broad service portfolio further positions Vayana as a critical player in India’s trade finance ecosystem.

The company’s latest funding round follows a previous raise of $15 million from IFC and PayU, the fintech arm of Dutch multinational Prosus. To date, Vayana has secured over $67 million in funding, reflecting strong investor confidence in its growth trajectory and impact.

Keiji Matsunaga, General Manager of the Digital Strategy Department at SMBC, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “We are excited to support innovation in finance to create social value via our collaboration with Vayana, which seeks to enable SMEs through opportunities to be part of supply chains. We look forward to combining the expertise of SMBC Group with Vayana’s technologies to contribute towards the further growth of India.”

With this fresh infusion of capital, Vayana is poised to accelerate its mission to empower MSMEs, enhance trade credit facilities, and improve compliance and risk management. The company’s strategic initiatives aim to drive substantial growth and innovation within India’s dynamic trade finance landscape.