Florence Finance Brings European Private Credit On-Chain to Ozean

Ozean, the blockchain for RWA yield being launched by Clearpool, has partnered with Florence Finance, the leading Euro-denominated RWA project, to bring European private credit opportunities on-chain to the Ozean ecosystem.

Florence Finance — Addressing the Funding Gap for European SMEs

Florence Finance works with SME lenders to provide diverse credit exposure by offering an alternative funding source for lenders with a strong track record in sourcing and managing SME credit. Founded by a group of early blockchain believers and led by Chiel Ruiter, who brings decades of investment banking experience from Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse, and UBS, Florence Finance has originated over €10 million in loans, distributed more than €500,000 in interest to its community members, and has integrated & partnered with several euro stablecoins and their respective issuers such as EURS by Stasis, EURA by Angle Protocol and most recently EURC by Circle. With its expansion to Ozean, Florence Finance aims to unlock new opportunities for users to access European private credit directly.

“We’re looking forward to partnering with Ozean to bring innovative on-chain financing solutions to European SMEs, offering a transparent and efficient alternative to traditional funding. Ozean’s compliance-first approach and strong track record in private credit made it a clear choice for our expansion,” said Chiel Ruiter, Founder of Florence Finance

Private Credit Shaping Europe’s Financial Landscape

The European private credit market has expanded to around €400 billion, fueled by a shift from traditional bank lending to alternative financing options. According to KKR research, private credit is expected to play a pivotal role in financing across Europe, particularly in sectors such as healthcare, software, and business services.

Pioneering a New Era for Private Credit

Since its launch in 2022, Clearpool has been at the forefront of DeFi private credit, originating over $620 million in loans to leading institutions such as the Wall Street giant, Jane Street. Now, together with Florence Finance’s expertise in European private credit, Ozean is set to usher in a new era of SME financing on-chain, giving businesses direct access to credit through DeFi.

Hex Trust, in partnership with Clearpool, is launching Ozean. They are solving a major pain point by unlocking TradFi capital on-chain, simplifying Web3 complexities for family offices and funds. Their licensed services are key in injecting liquidity into private credit opportunities via Florence Finance, bridging TradFi and DeFi.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Florence Finance to the Ozean ecosystem. Together, we’re pioneering a compliant, accessible pathway for private credit, opening new avenues for SMEs and DeFi users alike to access the benefits of RWAs on-chain,” said Jakob Kronbichler, CEO & Co-founder of Clearpool.

Ozean: The Future of RWA Yield in DeFi

Ozean is revolutionizing DeFi by seamlessly integrating RWAs in a compliant and user-friendly way, enabling users to automatically earn native on-chain yields. Built as a permissionless Ethereum Layer 2 as part of the Optimism Supercain, Ozean includes an optional compliance layer, fostering interoperability among permissioned protocols. The ecosystem will allow RWAs to be traded, used as collateral, and integrated into DeFi with enhanced functionalities.

Stay tuned for more information about the partnership and the first European private credit opportunities on Ozean.