The GCC region’s startup finance ecosystem is increasingly relying on private debt. The area is developing a unique model where structured financing is integrated earlier in the growth journey for regional founders as businesses grow and capital requirements become more sophisticated, from early stage to pre-IPO.
In the GCC version of its Global Private Debt Report 2026, Stride Ventures reveals that this transition became noticeable at scale in 2025 when private debt – combining venture finance and growth credit – reached $4.1 billion throughout the GCC’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.The GCC region’s startup finance ecosystem is starting to rely heavily on private debt. The area is developing a unique model where structured financing is integrated earlier in the growth journey for regional founders as businesses grow and capital requirements become more sophisticated, from early stage to pre-IPO.
With capital demand expanding 8.2x from roughly $0.5 billion in 2024, the GCC region’s most active markets for structured credit deployments were Saudi Arabia, which accounted for around $3.9 billion, followed by the UAE at around $211 million and Bahrain at around $22 million.
Of the $7.4 billion in tracked startup investments across the GCC in 2025, private debt contributed $4.1 billion, ahead of venture capital at $3.3 billion, suggesting a clear change in how development is being financed, with structured credit moving from a supporting role to a key driver of scale.
Also Read:
Sameer Saleem’s Vision To Redesign The Hiring Sector
Gregory Kimpton On Building Meaningful And Sustainable Real Estate Projects
