YouCred Targets US$185 Million in Payroll Loans With an AI-Powered Credit Operation

YouCred, a Brazilian fintech founded in 2025, is betting on an almost entirely automated artificial intelligence operation to expand private-sector payroll lending for workers with formal employment contracts. Founded by former Santander and Itaú BBA executive Leonardo Kogut, the startup operates with a team of just six people and aims to originate R$1 billion (approximately US$185.2 million) in credit over the next 12 months.

The lean structure is supported by proprietary algorithms focused on credit analysis and fraud prevention, allowing YouCred to automate much of the lending process.

“I usually say that, besides managing human employees, I am also the CEO of a risk specialist and a team of analysts, except they are automated—they are algorithms,” Leonardo told Startups.

YouCred builds an automated payroll lending experience

The fintech's model is designed to allow workers to apply for payroll loans directly through the YouCred website, without downloading an application or waiting for an analyst to respond. The service is available on weekends as well.

The process removes the need for banking correspondents, which the company says helps reduce the risks of data leaks and aggressive commercial approaches. The validation of the available payroll margin and credit approval are handled automatically, with approved funds transferred directly to the worker's bank account through Pix.

The fastest transaction recorded by the fintech took just three minutes from the beginning of the application to receiving the Pix payment.

For Leonardo, this speed highlights a gap in the experiences offered by other banks and fintechs operating in the segment.

“I tested several experiences for customers of different financial institutions and was frustrated with the vast majority,” he said.

Brazil’s private payroll lending market is expanding

YouCred's strategy comes as payroll lending for workers in Brazil's private sector gains momentum.

The country's Crédito do Trabalhador program and regulatory changes eliminated the need for prior agreements between banks and companies, while simplifying the deduction of loan installments directly from payroll. According to Leonardo, these measures have created room for further growth in the market.

The payroll lending portfolio for CLT workers increased from R$43 billion (approximately US$8.0 billion) to R$140 billion (approximately US$25.9 billion) in just over a year.

Despite this expansion, the segment remains significantly smaller than payroll lending for public-sector employees, whose portfolio currently exceeds R$300 billion (approximately US$55.6 billion).

At the same time, Brazil's CLT workforce is around three times larger than the public-sector workforce. For Leonardo, this difference represents the market opportunity behind YouCred's growth strategy.

YouCred finances its operation with its own capital

The fintech currently finances its lending operation with its own resources and a recently raised R$5 million (approximately US$925,900) investment.

The capital was provided through KGX Capital, the family office of Leonardo's group.

The company expects to expand future funding rounds with the family office. If credit origination continues to scale, YouCred may eventually turn to a Fundo de Investimento em Direitos Creditórios (FIDC), a vehicle commonly used to finance larger credit portfolios.

Leonardo has not disclosed how much credit YouCred has originated to date, but the company is expected to announce a new fundraising round soon, which could provide additional details about the operation's performance.

Proprietary AI sits at the center of YouCred's strategy

Behind YouCred's R$1 billion (US$185.2 million) 12-month origination target is a proprietary artificial intelligence structure that combines the company's own algorithms with external partners, including credit bureaus.

The fintech's technology is used across credit analysis, risk assessment and fraud prevention, allowing a small team to operate an otherwise complex lending operation.

For Leonardo, however, the competitive advantage is not simply the speed at which AI can deliver financial products, but the reliability and governance behind the technology.

“Nowadays, what matters is not the speed of delivering a product, but being able to link it to the confidence you have in your artificial intelligence. The most important thing is the reliability and governance of AI, not the speed at which you deliver a project,” he said.

Leonardo Kogut brings banking and entrepreneurship experience

Before founding YouCred, Leonardo spent around five years at Santander, followed by a period at Itaú BBA. During his banking career, he worked closely with credit products and investment management, while also developing buying and selling algorithms for different markets, including foreign exchange.

He later spent approximately two years leading the product area at Vivara, a move he says was intended to broaden his experience as a business manager before entering the financial market as an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurship is also part of Leonardo's family background. His father, Marcio Kogut, founded Mycon, a fintech that created Brazil's first fully digital consortium.

Due to the company's own governance rules, Leonardo was unable to work directly alongside his father. Instead, he pursued a career in traditional banking, where he accumulated nearly a decade of experience in credit products and risk analysis before launching YouCred.