UK online marketplace lender ThinCats is the latest P2P platform to receive full authorization from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA); the firm is a secured business lender and says it has a number of developments in progress including the launch of an IFISA; in comments regarding the authorization, John Mould, CEO of ThinCats, said: "We are delighted to have been granted FCA authorization, proving the dedication of our team and processes. We are very happy that more and more alternative finance providers are now being authorized, as it ultimately proves that the industry deserves the trust and confidence of investors, advisors and SME borrowers alike." Source
In a LinkedIn post, Sukhwinder Shoker provides insight into MarketInvoice's loan book which the company shares publicly; analysis includes data on originations and advance rates, invoice terms, risk-price grade, gross discount rates, diversification and net returns; according to Shoker's analysis, the average monthly net return achieved since January 2012 by investors before fees and tax is 50 basis points. Source
UK online lender WiseAlpha has added corporate bonds to its investment offerings on the platform; previously the firm primarily focused on offering corporate loan investments; the corporate bonds will expand the platform's institutional debt offerings and the firm will also allow for trading on its secondary market. Source
The idea behind Humaniq was to bring the underbanked, a number that estimates around 3.5 billion worldwide, into the banking world; in an interview with the Huffington Post, Humaniq CEO Dinis Guarda talks about the solution they are bringing to the market; they are working with emerging economies where people live on $2.50 a day and have access to a smartphone; the Humaniq banking app will allow these individuals to have access to chats, wallets, payments, microloans and peer-to-peer lending services; they are doing an initial test in Ghana, allowing users to chat and make payments with their phones to local merchants; offering the underbanked a solution is something that can help lift communities and ultimately countries out of poverty. Source
LendingCrowd will give investors GBP150 ($195) for every GBP2,500 ($3,257) investment they make on the platform through August 31; the offer is open to new and existing investors and can also be obtained through investment in the firm's new IFISA; the Edinburgh-based peer-to-peer lending platform is primarily focused on SME loans and has originated GBP15 million ($19.5 million) in cumulative lending from 182 loans. Source
Firm was given full FCA authorization at the beginning of 2017 and expects the IFISA launch to add to high current demand on the platform; says it will target financial advisers with the new offering; the lender has originated over GBP130 million ($169 million) since launching in April 2016; it focuses on secured property loans with conservative loan to value ratios of approximately 60%. Source
The UK based digital banking firm 11:FS has hired fintech expert Sam Maule to help head up their expansion into North America; "Having made a great impact in the first 15 months of 11:FS' life, we now feel we can have a similar impact with Sam at the helm in North America and Canada, helping organizations really understand what digital transformation within their banks and insurers truly means," CEO David Brear explained; 11:FS is also looking to open a New York office and named entrepreneur and investor Lisa Gansky as non-executive director. Source
Old Mutual has been decreasing its position in the Fund throughout the year and has now reduced it even further; in March 2017 Old Mutual reduced its stake to below 6% and following its most recent move its stake is now less than 4.99%; according to AltFi, the VPC Specialty Lending Fund is the second largest online lending and alternative credit fund with approximately GBP351 million ($456 million); the Fund has been experiencing losses in recent months and the managers have been enacting a share buyback strategy while also shifting its positioning to greater allocation in balance sheet investments. Source
The Ranger Direct Lending Fund announced its second quarter 2017 dividend; the Fund has decreased its dividend to 24.26 pence per ordinary share; the lower dividend was a result of ongoing issues with investment in the Princeton Alternative Income Fund which had exposure to troubled lending platform Argon Credit; the Fund's returns have also been lower over the past few months and it has increased its cash holdings. Source
P2P lenders in the UK will be required to give information to investors on loan performance; the new measure is expected to be announced this year with implementation not likely until mid-2018; both information on delinquent loans and due diligence were included in the FCA's interim consultation paper; the latest review by the FCA is the second in two years. Source