Afinz

Traditional banks in Brazil often overlook both small businesses and low-income individuals—groups that make up the backbone of the economy yet face the highest barriers to access. Small and medium sized enterprises (SME), which represent over 99 percent of all businesses and generate nearly 30 percent of Brazil’s GDP, struggle with credit restrictions, lengthy paperwork and a lack of tailored financial products. Meanwhile, nearly 45 million people remain unbanked or underbanked, effectively shut out from a system meant to empower them.

That’s where Afinz steps in—not as just another bank, but as a financial partner redefining what inclusion looks like. With accessible credit, digital tools, and humanized service, Afinz is helping individuals and SMEs take control of their finances and bring their goals to life, without the red tape.

Afinz offers a full range of solutions—from Visa-branded credit cards and digital bank accounts to working-capital loans, insurance, e-commerce tools, instant PIX payments and wealth management—built specifically for small businesses and low income Brazilians. Every product is designed to meet people where they are, with flexibility and simplicity at the core.

For many small businesses, traditional lenders are a dead end, demanding collateral and long credit histories that solo entrepreneurs can’t afford. Afinz changes that. Analyzing alternative data, like utility bills, sales activity and payment behavior, it provides tailored credit offers that reflect a business’s true potential. With its co-branded Visa credit cards, even the smallest shops can accept digital payments and start building a solid financial track record. As these businesses use Afinz responsibly, they gain access to higher credit limits, empowering them to invest in staff, equipment or new market opportunities.

And for the millions of Brazilians left out by legacy institutions, Afinz’s mobile-first platform opens the door. With just a smartphone, users can open a free digital account, send instant payments, pay bills and access micro-loans—approved quickly through AI-powered credit analysis. Micro-insurance offerings provide peace of mind in times of crisis, while in-app budgeting tools and personalized reminders help users stay in control of their money.

Afinz doesn’t operate in isolation. It works through partnerships to meet people where they are. By collaborating with retailers, employers, fintech platforms and online marketplaces, Afinz embeds its financial services into everyday environments. That could mean a hardware store offering customers installment credit at checkout, an employer enabling salary advances through payroll integration or a delivery app providing in-app banking tools for gig workers. These partnerships extend Afinz’s reach across channels people already trust and use, making financial access more seamless and intuitive.

To support users in areas with limited digital literacy, Afinz goes a step further. Its network of field agents and telesales teams actively educates and assists clients, ensuring even first-time users can confidently navigate digital banking tools. It’s a human approach layered on top of tech.

Behind the scenes, Afinz runs on modern cloud-based infrastructure—far more agile than the legacy systems used by traditional banks. Real-time data and AI-driven credit models allow it to assess creditworthiness even for those without formal financial histories. Open APIs make it easy for partners to integrate Afinz’s services into their own platforms, while instant PIX payments enable fast, secure transactions for everything from personal bills to business operations. All of this is protected by strong encryption and biometric security, so users get speed and safety in one.

But technology alone isn’t the differentiator. It’s how Afinz deploys it—with precision, discipline, and a customer-first mindset.

“In our roadmap, we select and sequence projects, always focusing on timing, level of complexity, our clients’ needs and what they consider to be the minimum viable product—not just what we can deliver quickly,” says Carlos Zanvettor, co-founder. “We believe that solving this dilemma is key to our differentiation, and at the same time, it makes so many organizations ‘more of the same’ after investing years in the agile methodology.”

By combining smart technology, responsible finance, and a deep understanding of its clients’ realities, Afinz is redefining what it means to be banked in Brazil. It’s not just about offering loans or accounts. It’s about unlocking potential—helping entrepreneurs expand their businesses, enabling families to build safety nets, and giving underserved communities the tools to grow stronger and more financially secure.