Valu, MENA's leading financial technology company, announced Tuesday a strategic rebranding, marking a pivotal shift in its brand architecture. In a press statement the company said that "Today, Valu is no longer just a Buy-Now, Pay-Later (BNPL) platform nor a consumer finance player only; it has evolved to become a universal financial technology powerhouse with a comprehensive suite of financial solutions." The company added that rebranding is a milestone in the company's journey of growth and transformation as it represents its commitment to better serving its clients and expanding its reach in the dynamic world of financial technology. Valu has consistently been at the forefront of innovation and a game-changer in the fintech space since its inception as the first BNPL platform in the MENA region. It now hosts a universe of cutting-edge financial solutions and services that empower individuals to pursue their aspirations and improve their quality of life. As the fintech industry evolves rapidly, Valu recognizes the importance of adapting to meet clients' changing needs and demands. This strategic rebranding not only reflects Valu's growth but underscores the company's dedication to innovation, efficiency, and excellence in serving a broader range of clients across various sectors. Under the new brand identity, Valu has refreshed its logo, application, and overall visual identity to represent the company in a more modern and dynamic way. The new brand identity embodies the company's core values of responsibility, innovation, prioritizing people, and agility, while the revamped application offers an expanded range of services and solutions. The application's new design highlights Valu's enhanced capabilities and investments in cutting-edge technologies through its ongoing commitment to innovation and to providing clients with unparalleled access to financial solutions through a universal platform. Walid Hassouna, CEO of Valu, commented on the news: "One of the key drivers behind our strategic rebranding is our unwavering focus on client centricity. We developed our offerings to provide clients with everything they need through one platform. Our expanded suite of fully digitalized products and services will empower individuals and businesses and foster financial inclusion. Valu today is no longer a consumer finance company; we now offer an instant cash redemption program, savings solutions, investment products, a B2B services platform, and more." He added that it was about time for Valu to undergo a brand restructuring to reflect the breadth and depth of its brand portfolio as well as its current position as a universal financial technology powerhouse. The rebranding further encompasses an intensified effort to foster strategic partnerships and collaborations with industry leaders, global brands, and market innovators to accelerate the development and deployment of ground-breaking solutions that will shape the future of the fintech industry, Hassouna continued. The newly optimized structure of the brands under the umbrella of Valu will be as follows: * U – BNPL platform offering financial programs for up to 60 months with the following programs: o Sha2labaz: An instant cash-redemption program o Ma3ak: A program targeting university students between 18 – 23 years of age o Family: A program qualifying clients' first-degree relatives over 16 years of age to acquire a borrowing limit o Ulter: A special program that enables customers to make high-value purchases of up to EGP 15 million * Business – A B2B services platform offering a corporate HR employee management system, benefits, payroll cards, and other financial services (formerly Paynas, which was acquired by Valu in 2022). * Akeed – Virtual Lease to Own Product (VLTO), a save-to-buy platform embedded within Valu's universe that allows clients to save and gain returns. * Flip – Allows customers to send and receive funds. It is the most widely accepted gift card in Egypt. * Invest – An investment platform that will allow customers to make strategic investments in various funds, including the current AZ Valu Fund, a money-market fund launched in partnership with Azimut providing people with a flexible and convenient investment solution and EFG Hermes ONE, a state-of-the-art online securities trading platform that provides users with one-click access to global markets anytime, anywhere. The strategic rebranding coincides with the company's continuous commitment to strengthening its team, expanding its presence, and driving positive change within the fintech ecosystem. Its dedicated professionals remain focused on fostering lasting relationships with their clients, understanding their unique goals, and providing tailored solutions that drive measurable results. Key Valu Milestones to Date * Forbes Middle East listed Valu as one of the 'Top Fintech companies' in 2021, 2022 and 2023 * Named 'Fintech Company of the Year' at the Gulf Business Tech Awards in 2021 and 2022 * Entrepreneur Middle East awarded Valu 3 times at the 'Leaders in Fintech Awards 2021' and 'Leaders in Fintech Awards 2022' – as Best BNPL platform, and at the 'Tech Innovation Awards 2021' as Fintech Company of the Year * Awarded 'Fintech Innovation of the Year' at the Seamless Awards in 2019 * Recognized as the 'Best Fintech Startup in North Africa: BNPL Service' at the Africa Bank 4.0 Awards in 2023 * Honoured as the 'Most Innovative Fintech Company' by the Global Brands Magazine 2023 * Won the title of 'Best Ramadan Comedy Ad' at the Creative Industry Summit in 2023 and received the accolade for 'Best Marketing Campaign' at the International Finance Awards 2023 * Almost 3 million transactions with over 3 million app downloads across the board * More than 5,500 points of sale and service providers and over 1,500+ e-commerce platforms * Over 1 million active Valu clients across the board * Total gross merchandise value of EGP 5.8 billion as of 2022 on the BNPL platform, U — a twofold increase from the EGP 2.4 billion booked in 2021 * Amazon acquired USD 10 million in EFG Holding GDRs with the option to place that investment into Valu in the future, translating into 4.255% of Valu's issued share capital * Fully acquired Paynas in 2022 — a full-fledged employee management and benefits company that offers services to MSMEs. Paynas is currently rebranded to Valu * Valu also acquired a minority stake in Kiwe — the first social payment app for youth in Egypt * Valu has a 2% indirect stake in Paytabs Egypt * Valu acquired a minor stake in Hoods, the Middle East's leading live commerce platform * Valu owns a 10% stake in EFG EV Fintech, EFG Holding's accelerator and incubator
