Targeting the GCC SME Credit Gap
Zamanat has announced its sponsorship of Zamanat Fund CEIC Limited, a DIFC-domiciled tokenized private credit fund with a target size of up to USD 100 million. The fund aims to address the estimated $250 billion SME financing gap across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, where only 11 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises have access to credit according to World Bank data cited in the announcement.
While SMEs are central to economic growth in the region—generating more than half of the UAE's GDP and employing the majority of the private-sector workforce—they historically receive a fraction of total bank lending. The fund is designed to direct capital toward homegrown companies whose financing needs are not fully met by traditional lending channels, supporting national priorities such as Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and the UAE Centennial 2071.
Regulated Structure and Tokenization on ZIGChain
The fund is a DFSA-regulated closed-ended fund registered as an Exempt Fund and classified as a Credit Fund. It is managed by Truleum Venture Partners Limited, administered by Apex Group, and serves as Zamanat's first live proof point for regulated fund tokenization on ZIGChain.
Fund interests will be issued as ZM1 Investment Tokens on ZIGChain within a regulated, whitelisted environment. This blockchain-native ownership and settlement layer operates within the fund's framework to allow qualifying investors who meet DFSA Professional Client criteria to participate alongside institutional investors.
Institutional Partnerships and Broader Strategy
Apex Group acts as the fund administrator, providing institutional administration and controls from the outset. Zamanat contributes its expertise in regional private credit, investment structuring, and institutional partnerships, while Truleum retains responsibility for all regulated fund-management activities.
Although the DIFC-domiciled fund itself is not an Islamic fund and is not marketed as Shariah-compliant, Zamanat's broader operating model is focused on building the global market for Digital Shariah Assets. The company plans to progress a separate pipeline of assets across private credit, receivables, and real estate as part of its wider strategy.
