Karat Financial

Karat Financial is a Los Angeles-based fintech company that provides banking and credit products designed specifically for content creators and social media influencers, whose income patterns — variable, multi-platform, brand deal-driven — are poorly served by traditional financial institutions. Karat's creator credit card underwrites applicants based on social media metrics, engagement rates, and platform earnings rather than traditional credit history, enabling creators with substantial income from content to access credit commensurate with their actual earning power. The platform also offers creator-specific features like tax tools for self-employment income, expense categories for content creation costs, and business banking for creator LLCs. Founded in 2019, Karat has positioned itself as the financial layer for the creator economy and has raised funding from investors including Signal Fire and Union Square Ventures. The company addresses the financial exclusion of the estimated 50 million independent content creators globally who operate as small businesses but lack access to appropriate financial products.