Yendo

Yendo is a Dallas-based consumer fintech that issues what it describes as the first vehicle-secured credit card. Applicants pledge the equity in their car rather than a cash deposit, receiving a Mastercard-branded revolving line with limits ranging from $450 to $10,000 (average roughly $4,000-$4,400). Pre-approval is advertised as taking about one minute with no impact to the applicant's credit score; after identity and vehicle verification, and either mailing the title or digitally transferring an existing auto loan to Yendo, cardholders can access part of their line through a virtual card usable with Apple, Google or Samsung Pay, with a physical card typically arriving in three to seven days. Yendo places a lien on the title and releases it within about 10 days of payoff.

Card terms include 1.5% unlimited cashback as a statement credit on eligible purchases for customers enrolled in autopay, a 25-day payment window after the monthly statement, and a minimum payment of 1% of principal balance or $50 (whichever is greater) plus interest and fees. Account activity is reported to Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, positioning the product as a credit-building tool for consumers with limited or damaged credit histories. Yendo does not use a credit score as an application gate, instead evaluating vehicle make, model, year, mileage and condition alongside credit history and an income-to-expense assessment. Adjacent offerings referenced by the company include cash advances and auto loan refinancing.

The company positions itself as serving "the underserved majority" — nonprime Americans it says hold more than $4 trillion in trapped equity in cars and homes — and states an intention to expand from secured lending into an AI-powered digital bank, with a wave of product launches planned for Q4 2025.

Founding story

Yendo was founded in 2021 by Jordan Miller, George Utkov and Daniel Ashy, operating initially under the name Otto, to give consumers shut out of mainstream credit a way to borrow against their vehicle equity at more affordable rates than subprime alternatives.

Business model

Yendo originates revolving credit lines secured by liens on customers' vehicle titles, earning interest and fees on outstanding balances. Credit lines are sized from vehicle value and the borrower's ability to repay, and cardholders who pay their statement balance in full by the due date pay no purchase interest. Originations are funded in part through debt facilities, including a $150 million facility led by i80 Group.

Interest on revolving card balances plus fees; cardholders enrolled in autopay receive 1.5% cashback as a statement credit on eligible purchases.

Traction

The company reports 115,000+ app downloads and ratings above 4.5. It grew its business by over 700% in 2023 and says it has been growing at double-digit percentages monthly. Cumulative customer savings in interest and fees were stated at over $50 million in May 2024 and over $200 million in October 2025. Availability was 40 U.S. states as of May 2024.

Latest developments

In October 2025 Yendo announced a $50 million Series B including Spice Expeditions, Autotech Ventures, FPV Ventures, Pelion Venture Partners, Mark Cuban and Clocktower Technology Ventures. Lyft co-founder and Autotech Ventures venture partner Logan Green and Spice Expeditions founder Nick Huber joined the board. Proceeds are earmarked for expansion beyond secured lending toward an AI-powered digital bank, with a series of product launches planned for Q4 2025.