In the country with the largest fintech ecosystem in Latin America, the Minas Gerais-based M3 Lending aims to occupy a strategic position and facilitate credit for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with cutting-edge technology and streamlined processes. To this end, the fintech has just announced a BRL 500 thousand investment in Valence, a startup also from Minas Gerais specialized in artificial intelligence (AI).
The movement occurs in the midst of a market in rapid expansion. Brazil leads the fintech market in Latin America, with 1,706 fintechs in operation in 2025, according to Distrito, representing about 32% of the region's financial startups, driven by demand for credit, digital payment methods and solutions ofbanking as a service.
“Artificial intelligence enables us to evolve every day. With Valence, we expand our capacity for analysis and customer service, shorten lead times, and improve the customer experience. This is part of our purpose to make credit more accessible for those who drive the country's economy,” says Gabriel César, CEO of M3 Lending.
Founded in Belo Horizonte, M3 connects investors to SMEs, offering rates up to 22% lower than those charged by traditional banks, in a 100% digital and bureaucracy-free process. Now, with the use of AI, the fintech intends to create a complete financial ecosystem, combining credit, data, and integrated services for businesses.
In Brazil, micro and small enterprises account for approximately 27% of GDP and are the backbone of more than half of formal employment, according to data from Sebrae/IBGE, but have historically faced difficulties accessing credit on viable terms. For specialists, the incorporation of artificial intelligence into credit analyses can reduce costs, improve accuracy in risk assessment, and accelerate the granting of funds, unlocking the growth of a segment that is strategic for the economy.
“Queremos construir uma ponte eficiente entre investidores que buscam rentabilidade estável e empresas que precisam de capital para crescer. Estamos criando um canal seguro, transparente e simples, que faz o dinheiro circular onde ele gera valor real: nas pequenas e médias empresas, que são o motor do país”, conclui o CEO da M3.
Gabriel afirma que o aporte na Valence “é um movimento alinhado com o cenário em que fintechs deixam de ser apenas intermediárias de crédito e passam a se posicionar como plataformas integradas de serviços financeiros, impulsionadas por dados e tecnologia”. For the market, it is a clear sign that, in the competitive environment of fintechs, efficiency and embedded intelligence will be increasingly decisive differentiators.
