Suppose you’re building a lending marketplace in emerging markets. In that case, this guide shows how to get users to a credible first offer in under two minutes with minimal data entry, while embedding ability-to-repay checks that protect customers even at the cost of short-term conversion.
We also cover why launching in a stringent, innovation-friendly jurisdiction (like Singapore) can de-risk expansion to higher-growth but less predictable markets. Each lesson pairs simple process changes with concrete KPIs, risks, and trade-offs so teams can copy what works, avoid what doesn’t, and scale responsibly from day one.
In many markets, people still need to fill out long forms across multiple lender websites, upload documents multiple times, and wait for days before receiving a single response.
Worse, every new application risks lowering their credit score. The team behind ROSHI aimed to resolve this friction by building a platform that was capable of providing personalized, vetted offers in seconds without needing to utilize much information.
Their concept was quite simple: less typing, faster trust.
These changes dramatically reduced friction, improving both completion and satisfaction rates.
Example KPI: average time-to-first-offer under 120 seconds; form abandonment rate under 20 per cent.
Risks & Trade-offs: reducing input data may make lender models less precise, and some financial institutions hesitate to accept soft checks as valid pre-screening tools. However, the payoff is clear: a smoother experience that keeps borrowers engaged.
ROSHI’s co-founder, Said Betmurzaev, who fled Chechnya with his family before settling in Belgium, saw how access to credit could both enable and endanger families. His personal experience shaped ROSHI’s belief that ethical lending must be built into the algorithm, not added later as a compliance measure.
ROSHI's matching engine requires lightweight "affordability" checks before presenting any offers on-screen. The system ensures that a borrower never sees loans they will not reasonably be able to repay, even if that means fewer instant matches.
“Financial systems often overlook those who need them most,” says Betmurzaev. “We wanted to flip that script and make finance genuinely empowering.”
External Perspective: According to regional credit advisors, embedding affordability checks early helps reduce default and complaint rates, thereby attracting responsible lenders. This mirrors trends in Europe and the US, where regulators are increasingly promoting “ability-to-repay” principles.
Example KPI: on-time repayment rate above 90 per cent; complaint rate below 2 per 1,000 applications.
Risks & Trade-offs: tightening pre-approval filters can reduce funded volumes by 10–20 per cent in the early stages. Some lenders may view the approach as overly conservative. Yet over time, it strengthens portfolio quality and customer loyalty, a trade worth making.
When ROSHI launched, the team deliberately chose Singapore as its first market because of its strong regulatory framework and openness to innovation. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) offers clear rules on data privacy, credit scoring and lender conduct.
For a fintech startup, this clarity reduces ambiguity and prevents expensive reworks later when expanding to neighboring countries.
Example KPI: Partner-activation time under 30 days; compliance issues one or fewer per quarter.
Risks & Trade-offs: Regulatory-first markets like Singapore can slow experimentation because every change requires more scrutiny. However, the result is a stable foundation that scales easily into countries with lighter oversight. Lenders also view partnerships from such ecosystems as more trustworthy, accelerating future integrations.
ROSHI - Vay tiền online is a digital lending marketplace operating in Singapore and Vietnam, connecting individuals and small businesses with banks and alternative lenders. Its platform allows users to compare and apply for quick cash loans, personal loans, mortgages and SME credit options.
This article was written using materials submitted by company representatives and adapted for educational and editorial purposes.
The lessons and metrics provided are examples intended to help other fintech founders improve transparency, borrower outcomes, and operational resilience.