Updated
Updated · CNBC · Sep 16
Grab Buys 60% of Atome for $1.49 Billion as It Targets $500 Million EBITDA
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Sep 16

Grab Buys 60% of Atome for $1.49 Billion as It Targets $500 Million EBITDA

3 articles · Updated · CNBC · Sep 16

Summary

  • $1.49 billion will buy Grab an initial 60% controlling stake in Singapore-based Atome Financial, with the remaining 40% slated for purchase about two years after the first closing.
  • The two-stage structure is meant to de-risk capital allocation while giving Grab time to integrate Atome and develop synergies, even as it keeps Atome's management team in place.
  • Atome expands Grab's reach in consumer lending and into travel, beauty and e-commerce merchants where Grab has had less exposure, helping deepen its financial services push.
  • Grab said the deal should be accretive and helped lift its 2028 outlook, with financial services now expected to generate $500 million in adjusted EBITDA; Atome's contribution should build from late next year into 2028.
  • Nasdaq-listed Grab shares fell 3.64% after the announcement, while the company also flagged micro-investing and broader work with regulators on fair credit access in Southeast Asia.

Insights

Why did Grab's stock drop after announcing a massive billion-dollar BNPL acquisition that promises record profitability?
Will combining daily superapp data with Atome's AI lending create a financial powerhouse or a regulatory nightmare?