SME creates the order
Pick a verified supplier, define shipment & delivery milestones, and publish the purchase order to the marketplace.
Verified & referred SMEWe fund real production
Capital to produce.Growth for everyone.
We connect SMEs, suppliers, and investors to finance real orders with secure, transparent payments at every stage.
- Milestone-protected payments
- Transparent at every stage
Investor funds it
USDC locks in milestone escrow on Stellar. Capital stays protected until each release condition is met on-chain.
Capital committed in escrowSupplier produces
Production begins with payment secured. The first milestone can release when manufacturing or shipment starts.
Verified supplier in productionEveryone wins
The SME repays principal plus yield from sales. Investors earn, suppliers were paid, and the cycle can repeat.
Repaid · deal closedWho it's for
One platform.
Three ways to grow.
New purchase order
Supplier & milestones
AP
Acero del Pacífico
4.8 · 156 orders
Order value
$48,500 USDC
Open for investors →
For SMEs
Stop waiting on capital.
Start shipping.
Create a purchase order, choose a verified supplier, set milestones — then open it to investors. Working capital in hours, not bank cycles.
- Deploy a PO in minutes
- Build reputation with every deal
- Repay from inventory sales
Milestone escrow on Stellar
One purchase order links all three — pick your role and enter the flow.
Why Mercato
Bank-grade pricing.
Without the bank-grade barriers.
SMEs face 19–21% CAT at banks they often cannot access — or 60%+ from informal lenders. Mercato sits in the middle: 18–24% APR on the full purchase order, validated by the deal itself — not your credit file.
Mercato
Best fitPO-backed escrow on Stellar
18–24% APR
Broad accessAnnual cost (APR / CAT)
MercatoAlternatives
Requirements
Live PO + verified supplier — no banking history
Note
100% of the production order financed
Commercial bank (with history)
Tier-1 & regional banks
19–21% CAT
Strict requirementsAnnual cost (APR / CAT)
MercatoAlternatives
Requirements
2+ years operating, revenue floors, bureau record, collateral
Note
~15% of SMEs qualify for formal bank credit
Fintech factoring
e.g. Xepelin
18–36% annual
Moderate barriersAnnual cost (APR / CAT)
MercatoAlternatives
Requirements
~1 year invoicing history
Note
Typically advances only ~80% of invoice value
SME business card
Formal revolving credit
18–22% CAT
Strict requirementsAnnual cost (APR / CAT)
MercatoAlternatives
Requirements
Multi-year operating history + collateral
Informal lenders
Unregulated market
60–120%+
Broad accessAnnual cost (APR / CAT)
MercatoAlternatives
Requirements
No formal requirements — extreme cost
Note
No protections; effective cost compounds fast
Want to understand the full picture?
Learn our story →Platform activity
See capital moving right now.
Fund open orders, follow milestones, or explore completed deals — all in one feed.
Example
Deal live · seeking capital
Textiles
Cotton yarn — 1,000 units
Manufacturas del Norte
Amount
$12,500
APR
12.0%
Term
60d
Milestones0/2
Fund this deal
ExampleDeal live · seeking capital
Textiles
Cotton yarn — 1,000 units
Manufacturas del Norte
Amount
$12,500
APR
12.0%
Term
60d
Milestones0/2
Fund this deal
ExampleDeal live · seeking capital
Textiles
Cotton yarn — 1,000 units
Manufacturas del Norte
Amount
$12,500
APR
12.0%
Term
60d
Milestones0/2
Fund this deal
ExampleDeal live · seeking capital
Textiles
Cotton yarn — 1,000 units
Manufacturas del Norte
Amount
$12,500
APR
12.0%
Term
60d
Milestones0/2
Fund this deal
ExampleDeal live · seeking capital
Textiles
Cotton yarn — 1,000 units
Manufacturas del Norte
Amount
$12,500
APR
12.0%
Term
60d
Milestones0/2
Fund this deal
ExampleDeal live · seeking capital
Textiles
Cotton yarn — 1,000 units
Manufacturas del Norte
Amount
$12,500
APR
12.0%
Term
60d
Milestones0/2
Fund this deal
ExampleDeal live · seeking capital
Textiles
Cotton yarn — 1,000 units
Manufacturas del Norte
Amount
$12,500
APR
12.0%
Term
60d
Milestones0/2
Fund this deal
ExampleDeal live · seeking capital
Textiles
Cotton yarn — 1,000 units
Manufacturas del Norte
Amount
$12,500
APR
12.0%
Term
60d
Milestones0/2
Fund this deal
FAQ
Questions before you join the flow.
How funding works, who participates, and what keeps capital safe on Mercato.
Mercato is a supply chain finance marketplace for Latin America. SMEs post real purchase orders, investors fund them through milestone escrow on Stellar, and suppliers get paid as goods move — all tied to one transparent deal.
Built with the Stellar ecosystem
