Spoiler alert: All of them.
In a region where nearly 50% of small businesses cite limited access to capital as their biggest growth barrier, digital financing is no longer a trend—it’s a necessity. As Latin America's economy continues its rapid digitalization, companies of all sizes are reevaluating how they access and deliver financial tools. One group stands out: the ecosystem of platforms, merchants, and independent workers that power commerce daily across the region.
From bustling online marketplaces and restaurant chains to independent shop owners and gig economy delivery drivers, the demand for bank-free financing solutions is surging. Why? Because traditional credit simply doesn’t work for them. It's too slow, too rigid, and too exclusionary.
This article explores how digital financing models, like those powered by R2, are unlocking tailored capital access for diverse partner segments—and why platforms that embed these solutions gain a competitive edge.
Traditional banking systems are designed for businesses with predictable income, collateral, and long credit histories. That leaves out millions of businesses and workers across LatAm, who may be formal, semi-formal, or entirely informal but still generate strong, consistent revenue.
Digital financing uses real-time data, platform behavior, and advanced underwriting models to evaluate creditworthiness. This allows platforms to provide loans for marketplaces, working capital for restaurants, inventory credit for retailers, or microloans for drivers—all embedded directly into their digital experience.
Instead of a one-size-fits-all loan, financing is tailored to the user: how they earn, how often they transact, and how they grow.
R2's model is built to serve a wide spectrum of businesses—from independent gig workers needing $200 USD to stay operational, to mid-sized companies seeking $10,000 to $50,000 USD for expansion. In some cases, we’ve supported larger loans depending on platform performance and user behavior.
Use case. A regional online marketplace with thousands of small sellers faces a recurring issue: vendors can’t meet demand during seasonal peaks because they can’t afford to stock up inventory.
Challenge. Sellers are often micro-entrepreneurs, lacking traditional documentation or collateral.
Digital financing solution. By embedding seller financing into the platform, the marketplace can offer short-term working capital advances based on sales volume, order fulfillment rates, and customer ratings. Sellers receive offers in-app and repay via future sales.
Benefits:
Platforms that offer loans for marketplaces increase GMV and vendor performance—all while monetizing credit.
Use case. A growing restaurant chain in Mexico City wants to open a new location but struggles with up-front costs: equipment, staffing, initial inventory.
Rodrigo runs a successful mid-sized restaurant group with a strong presence on food delivery apps. He’s ready to open a fifth location but can’t afford the lag time of a bank loan. He’s already negotiating a lease and hiring staff—but the money simply isn’t flowing fast enough.
Digital financing solution. Through the delivery platform, Rodrigo receives an offer for working capital for restaurants based on his monthly order volume and customer rating. The repayment plan adjusts based on his performance and is automatically deducted from his weekly revenue.
Benefits:
With this support, Rodrigo launches on time, manages to meet demand from day one, and maintains liquidity. This capital doesn’t just support survival—it accelerates growth, especially when timed to strategic launches or seasonal demand.
Use case. A fashion boutique with both physical and online presence needs to prepare for a flash sale campaign.
Lucía runs a hybrid fashion business in Lima. Her online shop sees spikes in traffic during influencer collaborations, but to capitalize on the demand, she needs to pre-order styles in advance. Paying for inventory upfront would deplete her cash reserve.
Digital financing solution. Through her e-commerce provider, Lucía receives a revenue-based cash advance tailored to her store’s historical sales and forecasted traffic. Repayment is tied to daily revenue—no sales, no payment.
Benefits:
Lucía doubles her inventory, boosts her ad spend, and sees her biggest campaign of the year. With bank-free financing solutions, retailers like her operate with agility, not anxiety.
Use case. A driver on a food delivery app needs to replace a phone and pay for a bike repair to stay active on the platform.
Carlos is a full-time delivery driver in Santiago. One weekend, his phone breaks. Without it, he can’t work. He looks for help but finds nothing available at his bank. He’s frustrated—and losing income.
Digital financing solution. The delivery app offers Carlos a microloan based on his delivery history. He accepts the offer, receives the funds in his digital wallet, and repairs his phone within hours. Repayment is deducted gradually from his future deliveries.
Benefits:
For delivery apps, this isn’t just support—it’s infrastructure. Active drivers mean faster service, more orders, and better customer satisfaction.
Each user group—marketplaces, restaurants, retailers, and drivers—faces unique financing barriers. The power of digital lending lies in its ability to segment users and personalize credit based on their data, behavior, and rhythm of work.
Key factors used in digital financing models:
This creates a model where capital is:
Beyond empowering users, embedded financing delivers tangible value for platforms:
In LATAM’s competitive landscape, financial tools are no longer a nice-to-have. They’re a key differentiator.
At R2, we partner with leading platforms to design and deliver embedded financial products that align with each user’s behavior and business model. We:
Whether your users are restaurant owners, marketplace sellers, couriers, or store operators, R2 helps unlock growth without relying on outdated financial systems.
Learn how digital financing can strengthen your platform and accelerate partner success. Contact us or explore our partner solutions one-pager.
