Leading consumer financial technology company Chime has announced recently the launch of Instant Loans—a product that provides instant access to up to USD 500 in funds with a fixed interest rate that is lower than what’s typically observed in the industry. Like all of Chime’s services, Instant Loans is easy to use and transparent, and unlike some other loan products, there is no credit check to qualify. Instead, Chime leverages its proprietary technology platform and rich data sources to help determine eligibility. On-time payments can also help members build credit over time.
Instant Loans offers three-month installment loans up to USD 500 to pre-approved Chime members who receive direct deposits to their Chime Checking Account. Members are pre-approved for a loan and notified of their eligibility within the Chime app. Once accepted, eligible members gain instant access to the loan funds. When compared to other types of liquidity products on the market, Instant Loans enable consumers to borrow at potentially half the cost with the added flexibility of having up to three times longer to repay. Chime’s Instant Loans has no late fees or compound interest, just a fixed interest rate of USD 5 for every USD 100 borrowed, paid back in three monthly payments of USD 35.00 per USD 100 borrowed (29.76% annual percentage rate). For greater ease, repayments can be automated and are designed to not exceed 10% of monthly member cash inflows to ensure affordability. Chime also reports on-time payment history to credit reporting agencies, allowing members to build credit. Participants who pay on time may see their credit score increase by 10-30 points, validated by a prior simulation conducted with Experian.
“We are relentlessly focused on helping everyday people achieve financial progress,” said Madhu Muthukumar, Chime’s Chief Product Officer. “Our members have told us that they want simple and transparent tools to access money when they need it, and to help them build credit — and we’re excited Instant Loans provides both to our members.”
Instant Loans is Chime’s latest innovation, building on its commitment to enabling financial progress through products centered around consumer needs. In 2024, Chime announced the launch of MyPay, which lets eligible members access up to USD 500 of their pay before payday with no interest and no credit check. Since its official launch in July 2024, MyPay has helped members access billions of dollars. SpotMe, which allows Chime members to overdraw their accounts without fees, also surpassed a major milestone in 2024, covering more than USD 30 billion in transactions. The Chime Checking Account was one of the first full-featured accounts to disrupt the traditional banking industry by offering fee-free overdrafts with the launch of SpotMe. Similarly, millions of people have increased their credit scores since opening a Chime Credit Builder Visa Credit Card, which doesn’t charge interest or require a credit check or minimum security deposit.
