Rapid Financing Solution: GrabModal Supports UMKM Partners During Ramadan
Rapid financing through GrabModal by OVO Finansial has emerged as meaningful support for micro, small, and medium enterprise (UMKM) partners. This includes drivers facing evolving financial needs during Ramadan. Amid rising expenditure and shifting business rhythms, the service provides financing access with straightforward processes and manageable instalments, helping partners maintain financial stability while capitalising on income growth opportunities ahead of Eid.
GrabModal by OVO Finansial is a licensed financing service supervised by the Financial Services Authority (OJK). It is designed to provide financing access for UMKM partners, including Grab drivers, within the Grab ecosystem through swift processes and light instalments, easing the burden of managing financial needs.
The simplified application system and repayment scheme adjusted to income patterns help drivers and UMKM partners access financing more flexibly according to their needs, particularly during high-demand periods such as Ramadan and Eid.
Several partners have shared how rapid financing access with manageable instalments—providing peace of mind—helps them navigate urgent needs whilst maintaining controlled financial conditions during Ramadan and towards Eid.
Anto Putra Gunadi, 55, from Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, became a GrabCar driver partner in 2024. His vehicle serves both as a work tool and important family asset.
Through GrabModal, Anto uses financing to meet various family needs, from vehicle maintenance to supplementing his wife’s business capital and covering children’s education expenses. He took his first loan last year; to date, his total borrowing reaches 40 million rupiah.
“Every time I borrow from GrabModal, I can pay bills smoothly because the system is daily and deducted directly from that day’s driving income. This is what makes me comfortable and motivated to find more orders,” Anto explains.
GrabModal by OVO Finansial also offers a Payment Deferral facility that UMKM and driver partners can request during specific circumstances requiring payment extension. These circumstances include trips home, travel outside the city, illness, family matters, and bereavement. Additionally, the Payment Deferral feature automatically provides temporary payment relief during Eid celebrations, allowing drivers and UMKM partners to fully enjoy the Eid holiday with peace of mind.
Anto has also utilised the Payment Deferral facility when unforeseen circumstances prevented him from accepting rides.
“I once requested Payment Deferral when my parent passed away. I had to attend the wake and funeral outside the city, so I couldn’t drive. I requested Payment Deferral for peace of mind and payment flexibility,” he shares.
A similar experience comes from Mirna, 38, an UMKM/GrabMerchant partner operating Dapoer Deril, a cake business in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan. She established her culinary venture in 2015, leveraging Grab to reach more customers.
To support business operations, Mirna uses GrabModal to purchase raw materials.
“The first time I borrowed 2 million rupiah to buy ingredients so stock remained adequate and I could make more cakes for sale,” Mirna says.
Over time, Mirna has used this facility several times for business needs. Overall, she has accessed financing five times, totalling approximately 11 million rupiah, to maintain raw material supplies.
In mid-2025, Mirna temporarily halted operations when she relocated with her husband. During this period, unable to operate normally, her income ceased. She then utilised the Payment Deferral facility independently to secure payment extension until business resumed.
Subsequently, Mirna requested Payment Deferral again, needing more time to establish her business in the new city.
“With relocation, sales naturally paused. It’s impossible to pay daily,” she says.
For this year, the Eid Payment Deferral facility for driver partners runs from 17–25 March 2026, and for UMKM partners from 18–24 March 2026.
Partners receive temporary payment flexibility to fully enjoy family time without financial obligation concerns, whilst replanning business steps after the Eid holiday.
“With swift processes and manageable instalments providing peace of mind, we hope GrabModal helps partners remain productive whilst maintaining financial stability,” says OVO Finansial Chief Executive Officer Riady Nata.
Micro, small, and medium enterprises (UMKMs) are leveraging high digital activity during Ramadan 2026 to boost promotion and sales through TikTok. The IMF’s 2026 Article IV report notes Indonesian UMKMs face substantially higher borrowing costs and more complex loan application procedures than comparable countries.