Grab buys Atome for $1.5b instead of building lending

Grab acquired lending platform Atome for $1.5 billion after spending $1.2 billion on its own credit efforts. The deal hands Grab a ready-made lending engine for Southeast Asian markets.

• Grab paid $1.5 billion for Atome's lending platform
• The company had spent $1.2 billion on in-house lending
• Deal gives Grab a ready lending engine for Asia