Kueski
Kueski provides instant loans to underbanked Mexicans using alternative credit data.
Kueski is Mexico's largest online consumer lender, using machine learning and alternative data (device info, behavioral signals, sociodemographic data) to approve loans in minutes for users without traditional credit history. The platform has disbursed over 30 million loans and operates both a direct lending product (Kueski Cash: $200-$25,000 MXN loans) and a buy-now-pay-later service (Kueski Pay) integrated with major retailers like Walmart and Amazon Mexico. Unlike traditional banks relying on credit bureaus, Kueski evaluates hundreds of unconventional variables to serve the financially underserved, achieving 90% user recurrence and low single-digit delinquency.
Problem solved
Over 50 million Mexicans lack access to formal credit due to absence of credit history, credit cards, or debit cards—Kueski enables them to access instant loans based on shopping and behavioral patterns instead.
Target customer
Unbanked and underbanked consumers in Mexico lacking traditional credit history; e-commerce merchants and retailers seeking BNPL payment options.
Founders
A
Adalberto Flores Ochoa
CEO & Co-Founder
Seasoned fintech executive with prior roles as Director of Operations at Ooyala and Co-founder/CEO of Inviko; holds degrees in Industrial Engineering (Tecnológico de Monterrey), Marketing and South American Business (FGV), and Mandarin Chinese (Shanghai Jiao Tong University); awarded Mexico's University Student of the Year for Finance by EY and CNN-Expansion.
L
Leonardo De la Cerda
Co-Founder
Co-founder of Kueski in 2012; background details limited in available research.
Funding history
Seed
$500K
November 2013
Led by Tuesday Capital
· Local Guadalajara investors
Series A
Unknown
April 2016
Led by Victory Park Capital Advisors
· Unknown
Series B
Unknown
2019
Led by Altos Ventures Management
· Unknown
Series C
$202M (Equity + Debt)
December 2021
Led by StepStone Group (Equity), Victory Park Capital (Debt)
· OnePrime Capital, Glisco Partners, Altos Ventures, Cometa, Richmond Global Ventures, Cathay Innovation, Rise Capital, Angel Ventures Mexico
Series D - II
$35M
March 2025
Led by Angel Ventures
· Unknown
Total raised:
$300M+
Industries
Pricing
Not publicly available. Kueski Cash offers loans from $200 to $25,000 MXN with flexible repayment terms (30 days to 6 months); no interest rates or fee structures publicly disclosed.
Notable customers
Walmart, Amazon Mexico, Steve Madden, Sally Beauty, Kipling, VivaAerobus, Nautica, Xiaomi Shop; 1 in 4 top e-commerce merchants in Mexico (30% as of late 2024)
Integrations
Walmart, Amazon Mexico, Steve Madden, Sally Beauty, Kipling, VivaAerobus, Nautica, Xiaomi Shop, and thousands of other merchants
Website
Competitors
Klarna
Global BNPL platform with presence in multiple countries; lacks Kueski's depth of alternative credit data for underbanked users in Mexico.
Kubo Financiero
Local Mexican competitor; smaller scale and likely less sophisticated ML-based risk assessment.
Fondeadora
Mexican fintech competitor; different positioning and likely different target segment.
Tala
Mobile-first lender with presence in multiple emerging markets; broader geographic focus vs. Kueski's Mexico specialization.
Aplazo
BNPL competitor in Mexico; appears to have different merchant integration strategy.
Why this matters: Kueski represents a compelling alternative fintech model: rather than chasing venture-scale growth in saturated developed markets, it found a massive underserved population in Mexico and built defensible advantages through alternative credit data and merchant integrations. With $300M+ in funding, 30M+ loans disbursed, 90% recurrence, and expansion into BNPL partnerships with Walmart and Amazon, Kueski demonstrates that domestic fintech dominance in emerging markets can rival global peers—and its data network effect creates a moat foreign competitors struggle to replicate.
Best for: Underbanked and unbanked consumers in Mexico seeking instant, collateral-free loans; e-commerce platforms and retailers wanting to offer BNPL financing without traditional credit requirements.
Use cases
First-time formal credit access
A Mexican consumer with no credit history but steady e-commerce shopping habits applies for a $3,000 MXN loan to purchase electronics. Kueski's ML model analyzes 100+ behavioral signals to approve the loan in minutes and deposit funds within hours—providing their first formal credit experience and building credit history for future financial access.
BNPL at major retailers
A shopper at Walmart Mexico wants to purchase $5,000 MXN of goods but has limited liquidity. They select Kueski Pay at checkout, get approved instantly based on behavioral data rather than credit cards, and split payment over 3 months—increasing conversion for the retailer while expanding Kueski's user base.
Buy-now-pay-later for e-commerce
An e-commerce merchant on Amazon Mexico integrates Kueski Pay to offer BNPL options. Customers without credit cards or traditional financing access can now purchase on installments, increasing average order value and repeat purchases while Kueski bears credit risk using proprietary underwriting.
Alternatives
Klarna
Global BNPL leader with broader merchant ecosystem, but lacks Kueski's specialized alternative credit scoring for Mexico's underbanked population.
Traditional Mexican Banks
Offer credit but require established credit history and formal documentation; Kueski serves those excluded by traditional underwriting criteria.
Tala
Multi-country mobile lending platform; less focused on merchant BNPL integrations and lacks Kueski's depth of local Mexican merchant partnerships.
FAQ
What does Kueski do? +
Kueski is Mexico's largest online consumer lender that uses machine learning and alternative credit data to instantly approve and disburse loans ($200-$25,000 MXN) to consumers without traditional credit history. It also operates Kueski Pay, a buy-now-pay-later service integrated with major retailers like Walmart and Amazon Mexico, allowing shoppers to split purchases into installments without credit cards.
How much does Kueski cost? +
Kueski's pricing is not publicly disclosed. Loans range from $200 to $25,000 MXN with flexible repayment terms of 30 days to 6 months. Specific interest rates and fees are not publicly available; users must apply to see personalized terms.
What are alternatives to Kueski? +
Top alternatives include Klarna (global BNPL with broader merchant reach but less specialized for Mexico's underbanked), Tala (multi-country mobile lender), and traditional Mexican banks (though they require established credit history). Other local competitors include Kubo Financiero, Fondeadora, and Aplazo.
Who uses Kueski? +
Primary users are unbanked and underbanked Mexican consumers without credit history but with shopping habits; over 50% report it as their first formal financial service. Merchant partners include Walmart, Amazon Mexico, Steve Madden, Sally Beauty, and approximately 30% of Mexico's top e-commerce retailers.
How does Kueski compare to Klarna? +
Both offer BNPL services, but Klarna is a global platform requiring traditional credit assessment, while Kueski specializes in Mexico and uses alternative data (behavioral, device, sociodemographic signals) to approve consumers excluded from traditional credit. Kueski's 6-year head start and dataset from 6+ million applicants provide significant data network effects; Klarna has broader international merchant reach but lacks Kueski's local alternative credit expertise.
Tags
lending
buy-now-pay-later
BNPL
alternative credit scoring
underbanked
Mexico
machine learning
consumer finance
risk assessment