Cinch has reported that more than one in five of its users in Southeast Asia had no alternative route to access a device without its subscription service, underscoring the role of its Device-as-a-Service model in addressing both affordability and e-waste challenges in the region.
In its inaugural Impact Report 2026, the Singapore-based platform said 22.4% of subscribers stated they would not have been able to obtain a device elsewhere, while 31.4% said they would have delayed purchase. Combined, more than half of users rely on Cinch as their primary access channel to laptops, smartphones and tablets.
The findings highlight how device ownership remains financially out of reach for many households and small businesses in the region, where upfront costs and credit limitations continue to restrict access to essential technology.
Cinch said affordability was the key reason for adoption among 70.4% of subscribers, followed by flexibility at 63.7%. Applications rose 241% year-on-year, while approved applications increased 318%, reflecting growing demand for subscription-based device access.
Chief executive officer and founder Mahir Hamid said the model was designed to address both access and sustainability challenges at the same time.
“When I founded Cinch, the premise was simple though the circumstances were not. In a region where informal income, thin files, and working-capital constraints define how most households and small businesses operate, ‘own it outright’ is a privilege, not a default. Cinch was built to treat access to capable technology as a right, not a privilege. Three years in, the numbers suggest the engine is working. It proves how access and circularity are starting to compound the way we aimed for,” he said.
On the business side, Cinch reported that its SME clients unlocked 152% more working capital in FY2025 as device procurement shifted from capital expenditure to monthly subscription costs. Device assets under management grew 189% and client retention rose 44%, while average device cost fell 13%.
The report also pointed to stronger circular economy outcomes, with second-cycle subscriptions increasing 510% year-on-year. Refurbishment activity surged 688%, while turnaround times dropped 46%, enabling faster redeployment of devices.
Cinch said its net avoided emissions for 2025 stood at 62 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, based on lifecycle analysis using the CBMI framework and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
Looking ahead, the company aims to place 1 million devices in active circulation annually by 2030, process more than 2.22 million applications and generate over SGD 327 million in annual working capital for business clients, alongside more than 62,000 tonnes of avoided emissions.
