Zamanat Backs $100 Million Tokenized Fund to Tackle GCC's $250 Billion SME Credit Gap

Zamanat has announced its sponsorship of a tokenized private credit fund based in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) with a target size of up to $100 million. The fund aims to address the estimated $250 billion financing gap for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.

Addressing a Regional Credit Gap

SMEs are a critical component of GCC economies but remain significantly underserved by traditional lending institutions. According to a company announcement citing World Bank data, only 11% of SMEs in the region have access to credit. In the UAE, for example, SMEs contribute more than half of the nation's GDP but receive less than 10% of total bank lending.

The fund will invest in private credit, channeling capital to established regional companies whose financing needs are not being met by conventional banks. This strategy aligns with national economic diversification goals, including Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE Centennial 2071, which emphasize private-sector growth.

Fund Structure and Tokenization

The Zamanat Fund CEIC Limited is a DFSA-regulated, closed-ended fund registered as an Exempt Fund. Its interests will be issued as ZM1 Investment Tokens on the ZIGChain blockchain, creating a digital ownership and settlement layer within a regulated framework.

Tokenization is intended to expand the infrastructure around private-market assets without altering the underlying investment's credit profile. "Strong businesses across the GCC still struggle to access growth capital despite sound fundamentals," said Umair Tariq, Founder and CEO of Zamanat. "Zamanat sponsored the Fund to create a credible route between those businesses and institutional capital."

Regulatory Framework and Key Partners

Ad

The fund operates within the DIFC's established regulatory environment and is structured for qualified investors who meet the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) criteria for Professional Clients.

• Fund Manager: Truleum Venture Partners Limited, a DFSA-regulated entity, is responsible for all fund management activities.
• Fund Administrator: Institutional services firm Apex Group will provide fund administration and controls.
• Sponsor: Zamanat provides its expertise in regional private credit and investment structuring.

"Bringing institutional structure and digital distribution together within a DFSA-regulated framework sets the standard for how this market should be built," commented Peter Hughes, Founder & CEO of Apex Group.

Broader Digital Asset Strategy

This fund serves as a proof point for Zamanat's broader ambition to build a global market for Digital Shariah Assets, which it notes is a growing but underserved category. The company is developing a pipeline of other tokenized real-world assets, including receivables and real estate.

However, the company explicitly states that the Zamanat Fund CEIC Limited is not an Islamic Fund and is not marketed as being Shariah-compliant. References to Shariah relate to the firm's wider platform goals and not to this specific investment vehicle.