Instarem, a global digital payments platform under Nium, and Choco Up, a growth-financing provider, announced Thursday that non-dilutive financing is now embedded inside the Instarem Business portal.

Live since September 1, 2025 in Singapore and Australia, the service enables eligible small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to apply for growth capital from within their Instarem account, the duo said in a statement.

This launch comes as cross-border commerce in Southeast Asia continues to expand.

IDC projects intra-Southeast Asia cross-border commerce to reach $14.6 billion by 2028, approximately 2.8 times from 2023, which highlights the importance of reducing cross-border frictions for SMEs—faster settlement, simpler foreign exchange (FX), and timely working capital, so businesses can capture regional demand.

Through the integration, eligible Instarem Business clients can apply for up to $1 million in revenue-linked growth financing.

Underwriting is data-driven and aligned to business performance; upon approval, funds are typically disbursed by Choco Up in as little as two business days to the client’s Instarem account or operating bank account.

Financing is collateral-free and requires only a personal guarantee from one director.

Beyond the product launch, both companies bring meaningful scale and impact to the collaboration.

Choco Up has supported over 1,000 SMEs across Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia, enabling approximately $2.5 billion in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV).

Instarem moves over $6 billion annually, completing payments up to 12 times faster than traditional banks.

“Fast, flexible, non-dilutive financing lets owners stay in control of how and when they scale. Many digital-first businesses do not fit traditional credit boxes, yet their growth moves in real time. Embedding financing within Instarem means businesses can act at the point of need, from inventory and marketing to supplier terms, without giving up equity,

“We chose Instarem because it is where cross-border SMEs already operate daily: payments, foreign exchange, and now funding, in one place,” said Percy Hung, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Choco Up.

Meanwhile, Michael Minassian, Global Head of SME Business at Instarem, said Southeast Asia’s SMEs increasingly sell across borders, tapping suppliers and customers in multiple markets.

“By partnering with Choco Up, we add a practical growth lever to our payments and FX stack so businesses can collect, convert, and capitalize inside a single platform,

“It is about reducing friction and helping regional champions scale internationally with confidence,” he added.

Looking ahead, Instarem and Choco Up plan to integrate their application programming interfaces (APIs) more deeply to automate data sharing and accelerate decision-making, and are evaluating invoice and trade financing options to support broader working-capital needs.

Expansion to Hong Kong is targeted for the first quarter of 2026.

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