SMBC Asia Rising Fund pours $12-15M into three Indian fintech bets

SMBC Asia Rising Fund has deployed roughly $12 million to $15 million in follow-on capital across three of its existing Indian fintech portfolio companies: Easy Home Finance, Vayana, and DPDzero.

The capital distribution coincided with distinct institutional milestones for each recipient. Easy Home Finance closed a $30 million Series C round driven by its existing shareholders. SMBC Asia Rising Fund anchored the remaining transactions, deploying the primary capital pool and directly leading the Series A round for DPDzero. Vayana's existing shareholders finalized the investor group by delivering primary and secondary capital channels.

The allocated funds target specific infrastructural and operational scaling requirements within the Indian financial ecosystem. Easy Home Finance will use its Series C capital to accelerate the expansion of its digital-first affordable housing finance model across underserved Tier II and Tier III regions. Vayana will deploy its funding to deepen operations across the trade finance value chain, scaling its supply-chain financing capabilities after receiving its Non-Banking Financial Company licence. DPDzero will direct its Series A capital toward scaling its compliance-first, AI-led collections and recovery infrastructure to optimize borrower engagement models for financial institutions.

Rajeev Ranka, Partner, India Investments at SMBC Asia Rising Fund, said: "Our follow-on investments reflect a simple principle: we increase conviction where we see sustained execution and expanding opportunity. Each of these companies has evolved meaningfully since our initial investment and is building capabilities that go beyond technology to become foundational enablers of India's financial ecosystem."

Rohit Chokhani, Founder & Managing Director of Easy Home Finance, added: "Their ability to open tangible opportunities across the wider SMBC network has created real strategic value for Easy Home Finance as we scale our AI-led, digital-first housing finance model."

Ananth Shroff, Founder & CEO of DPDzero, said: "Our relationship with SMBC goes beyond capital - it has been about them understanding collections as the structural gap in India's growing credit economy. As collections becomes central to how responsibly India lends in the future, this partnership puts DPDzero in a strong position to lead that shift."

SMBC Asia Rising Fund operates as a growth-stage corporate venture investment vehicle focused on backing technology-led companies, digital infrastructure providers, and fintech enterprises throughout Asia. The fund targets partnerships with entities building scalable category-defining businesses while leveraging the broader strategic capabilities, commercial network, and global presence of the parent SMBC Group to facilitate long-term asset value.