The Wildberries group has registered a new subsidiary, the microcredit company VB Finance LLC, according to a report in Vedomosti. This development marks a strategic step for the e commerce giant as it broadens its financial services footprint beyond its core retail platform. The subsidiary was established with a registered capital of 10 million rubles and is expected to focus on a range of consumer finance products that align with the company’s broader market ambitions, including consumer loans, unsecured loans for general purposes, real estate secured lending, and home purchase financing. The official statement describes VB Finance as a vehicle to underpin and scale key business lines across the Wildberries ecosystem.
Wildberries explained to Vedomosti that the formation of VB Finance provides a legal foundation for expanding critical business areas. A notable objective is to offer lending services to sellers on the Wildberries platform, enabling more flexible working capital and growth opportunities for its merchant base. This move mirrors a broader trend among major marketplaces toward integrated financial services that support seller ecosystems and consumer financing in tandem. The company’s announcement positions VB Finance as a cornerstone for unlocking additional value within the marketplace network.[Source: Vedomosti]
Beyond VB Finance, Wildberries has signaled plans to register additional entities including VB Fashion, VB Sport, VB Charm, VB Trend, and VB Food. Each of these brands is intended to develop specific business streams that complement the main Wildberries market, potentially ranging from fashion and lifestyle categories to specialized product lines and services. This lineup underscores an overarching strategy to diversify offerings while leveraging the Wildberries brand equity to attract consumers and partners across multiple retail sectors.[Source: company disclosures]
In related industry developments, it was reported on December 18 that Russia’s leading online marketplaces are moving toward formal collaboration through the Digital Platforms Association. The prospective alliance would bring together Wildberries, Ozon, Yandex, SberMarket, and Avito, signaling a coordinated approach to governance, consumer protection, data sharing, and platform standards. The industry association could facilitate mutual benchmarking and policy advocacy, influencing how large marketplaces operate within the Russian digital economy and how they interact with vendors, payment providers, and logistics partners. This move is being observed closely by analysts as a potential inflection point for competition and collaboration in the online retail space.[Source: industry coverage]
There have also been public remarks from Wildberries executives regarding potential expansion into the Chinese market, reflecting the company’s intent to pursue international growth opportunities beyond its domestic platform. The broader strategic narrative focuses on scale, cross border commerce, and the leveraging of technology to enhance both buyer experience and seller sustainability across regions.
Earlier, Wildberries disclosed a security incident involving the platform that led to the reporting of a sizeable financial loss. The company indicated that a sum of 385 million rubles had been affected by the incident, a development that has prompted ongoing reviews of risk management, fraud protection, and user trust. Industry observers note that such incidents, while challenging, often catalyze improvements in platform security, financial controls, and user protection policies as marketplaces evolve to meet higher standards of governance and resilience.[Source: public disclosures]
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