Microloans — small, short-term consumer credit products of a few hundred euros — occupy a contested space in European consumer finance. Critics see them as expensive credit aimed at the financially vulnerable. Defenders see them as an essential alternative to far more expensive informal credit and bank overdraft fees for consumers who need small amounts quickly. Cashper was founded in Maastricht in 2015 — operating under Novum Bank with the German market as a primary focus — and offers microloans of up to 1,500 euros to German consumers through a digital application process that approves and disburses funds within hours. The product targets the segment of consumers facing unexpected expenses who would otherwise rely on bank overdrafts or informal borrowing — borrowers for whom the cost of formal microcredit, while higher than mainstream bank lending, is genuinely lower than the realistic alternatives. Cashper operates within the regulatory framework that governs consumer microcredit in Germany, with transparent fee structures and the consumer protections that come with regulated banking. In the European microcredit landscape, where the line between responsible lending and exploitative credit is constantly debated, Cashper's regulated banking structure positions it on the more conservative end of the spectrum — for the segment of consumers who need fast access to small amounts and have weighed the alternatives.