Tyme Group is a technology company.
Tyme Group has raised $250.0M across 1 funding round.
Tyme Group has raised $250.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Tyme Group has raised $250.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Tyme Group's investors include DNA Capital, Vivek Garipalli.
Tyme Group is a Singapore-headquartered technology company that designs, builds, and operates digital banks targeting underbanked populations in emerging markets.[1][2][3][5] It offers a modular, cloud-based banking platform integrated with physical retail kiosks for seamless account opening, deposits, and services, serving over 20 million customers primarily in South Africa (TymeBank, 9.5 million customers since 2019) and the Philippines (GoTyme, 3.5 million since 2022), with expansion into Vietnam, Indonesia, and others.[2][4][5][6] The platform solves financial exclusion by providing affordable, accessible banking—such as 5-minute biometric account setup and instant debit cards—onboarding ~450,000-500,000 new customers monthly while reducing fees for 80% of users and improving life quality for over 70%.[2][6] Tyme achieved unicorn status in its oversubscribed Series D raise of $250 million at a $1.5 billion valuation, led by Nubank ($150 million).[5]
Tyme Group traces its roots to 2012, evolving from a focus on financial services tech into a multi-country digital banking operator.[1][3] Key founders include Coen Jonker (Co-Founder and CEO), who has highlighted strategic partnerships like Nubank for scaling via data analytics and product innovation.[5] The pivotal launch came in 2019 with TymeBank in South Africa, leveraging retailer partnerships (e.g., Pick n Pay, TFG) for rapid traction amid high unbanked rates.[2][6] This success spurred GoTyme in the Philippines in October 2022 with Gokongwei Group, amassing millions of users quickly.[2][5] TymeX, established in 2016 as the Vietnam-based tech hub, became central, employing 800 experts in engineering, design, and banking to build reusable assets for global replication.[3][4]
Tyme rides the fintech democratization wave in emerging markets, where 1B+ underbanked adults demand affordable alternatives to legacy banks amid rising smartphone penetration and economic digitization.[2][5][6] Timing aligns with post-pandemic acceleration in Southeast Asia and Africa, where retail ecosystems (e.g., Robinsons in Philippines) provide trust anchors for branchless models.[2][3] Favorable forces include regulatory openings for digital banks (e.g., Vietnam entry) and investor appetite from Nubank-like successes, positioning Tyme to capture >100M addressable users in key markets.[4][5][6] It influences the ecosystem by pioneering replicable "serial bank building," lowering entry barriers for partners and proving hybrid models outperform pure digital in low-infrastructure regions.[3][4]
Tyme's trajectory points to aggressive multi-country scaling—next stops likely Vietnam and Indonesia—fueled by TymeX's efficiency and Nubank's expertise in credit/products.[2][4][5] Trends like AI-driven personalization, embedded finance, and SME lending will shape growth, amplifying its 500K/month pace toward 100M+ users. Influence may evolve from operator to platform exporter, licensing tech globally while sustaining unicorn momentum through cost discipline. This positions Tyme as a blueprint for inclusive fintech, unlocking economic potential in overlooked markets as it began with South Africa's underbanked breakthrough.[1][3][6]
Tyme Group has raised $250.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $250.0M Series D in December 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1, 2024 | $250.0M Series D | DNA Capital, Vivek Garipalli |