Upstart, PayPal and J Safra Group participated in a round in which the microfinance platform developer reached an $800m valuation.

Digital lending platform operator Upstart led a $145m series E round yesterday for Tala, a US-based microfinance provider focusing on emerging markets, bringing its total funding to over $350m.

Upstart was joined by digital payment processor PayPal’s corporate venturing unit, PayPal Ventures, as well as conglomerate J Safra Group, financial non-profit organisation Stellar Development Foundation, Kindred Ventures, IVP, Revolution Growth and Lowercase Capital.

Founded in 2011, Tala offers services such as microloans typically sized between $10 and $500 in addition…

Fernando Moncada Rivera

Fernando Moncada Rivera is a reporter at Global Corporate Venturing and also host of the CVC Unplugged podcast.