SRS Fin Tech Labs has announced the launch of a new marketplace lending platform in India called OxyLoans; firm seeks to originate $1 billion in loans by 2024; loans will be available in India, GCC and the UK; rates on loans will range from 12% to 36% with loans up to Rs 4 lakh (approximately $5,890). Source
News Roundup
This page contains an archive of the Global Newsletter summaries and the weekly fintech news roundups.
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LiftForward has obtained a $100 million credit facility through funding from Monroe Capital; LiftForward is a New York City-based marketplace lender for manufacturers, distributors and retailers; the firm offers credit of up to $1 million per transaction; in addition to credit products the firm also offers its customers a platform to sell their products as a hardware as a service subscription. Source
Marketplace lender, PeerStreet, has raised $15 million in a funding round led by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz; PeerStreet offers secured real estate loans through its lending platform; the minimum investment is $1,000; investors on the platform include high net worth individuals, family offices and institutions; Andreessen Horowitz's Rampell noted the competitive advantages of PeerStreet compared to competitors included their fast growth and distribution model; he stated, "Most companies that are lending to consumers spend all the money in customer acquisition and it is very hard to get a profit." Source
Peter Renton of Lend Academy shares his quarterly marketplace lending results for the third quarter; portfolio includes twelve accounts with investments in Lending Club, Prosper, Direct Lending Income Fund, Lend Academy P2P Fund, P2Pinvestor and PeerStreet; Q3 reported another quarter of lower returns; third quarter trailing twelve month return was 8.21%, a decrease from 8.72% in the second quarter and the sixth consecutive quarter of lower portfolio return. Source
In its Q3 2016 State of Blockchain report, CoinDesk provides insights on blockchain; says blockchain investment is decreasing however significant development efforts continue to occur primarily from major banks and stock exchanges; report also says interest in blockchain from central banks is likely to continue. Source
State Street and the Alternative Investment Management Association have released a report on decreased liquidity in the investment market; approximately half of respondents see less market liquidity as a long-term factor and three-fifths of respondents are considering less trading liquidity in their investment strategies; report cites new market entrants, electronic platforms and peer-to-peer lending as reasons for increased illiquidity in the market overall; report says investors are focusing on three areas to adapt to the shift in market liquidity including rationalizing risk, optimizing for liquidity, and implementing new rules and tools. Source
Maples Fund Services has announced it will extend its fund administration services to include marketplace lending; seeks to capitalize on the growing number of funds emerging in the space; firm has made significant investment in technology to provide a leading market service which will include reconciliation, loan-level record keeping, third-party valuations, and risk and performance reports. Source
One of the most innovative banks in Europe is now partnering with Airbnb to allow residential mortgage customers to rent their properties; Metro Bank will allow customers to rent their homes for up to 90 days without any written approval; Paul Riseborough, chief commercial officer at Metro Bank explained, "Our focus is on making our customers' lives as straightforward and convenient as possible and we therefore hope today's news will give our customers the reassurance they need to jump in and take advantage of everything the dynamic sharing economy has to offer." Source
In October, CFPB Director Richard Cordray warned banks not to limit access to financial data by third parties working on behalf of the customer; now the bureau he leads is opening an inquiry into a data sharing dispute between banks and fintech companies; the inquiry is focused on consumer choice, security and control; the CFPB believes this will help banks and fintech companies better understand what the customer needs, how to accurately give the customer choice and security, and who ultimately owns the customer's data. Source
A new study conducted by the Center for Financial Services Innovation (CFSI) and Core Innovation Capital found that the underserved banking customer paid $141 billion in fees while at the same time accounting for $1.6 trillion in economic activity; the underserved or underbanked are defined as the 67 million who do not use a bank account but use prepaid cards and other alternative finance options to handle their money; according to CFSI president and CEO Jennifer Tescher, the biggest driver behind the fees are auto insurance and subprime installment lending. Source