Some of Europes largest online lenders have started to grapple with the idea of potentially becoming a bank; Funding Circle says it has no plans to do so, Zopa on the other hand says they are becoming a bank; other online lenders like YOUnited Credit in France and Raize in Portugal have thought about becoming a bank but thus far see the flexibility of not being a bank as an advantage; the banking market overall is going through quite the change and the definition of a bank is sure to be examined. Source.
Younited Credit is a french consumer lending platform that has also launched a credit-as-a-service offering; the company has now originated...
The partnership will allow N26 to offer consumer credit in France; N26 currently has similar features built out in other European markets where users answer a few questions within the app; the app then provides a quote that allows users to adjust the term of the loan or the payback amount; users will not be required to signup through Younited Credit as everything is managed through an API. Source
Younited Credit is a marketplace lending platform that operates in France, Italy and Spain; the round included the French public investment bank Bpifrance among several other investors; total funding is now €103 mn for the company; François Fournier, chief innovation executive of Bpifrance stated, "We were attracted by Younited Credit’s team and by its unique positioning built in Europe. Its innovative digital platform model, great product agility thanks to big data, as well as its solid regulatory strategy, inspire confidence and sustainability." Source
The CEO and Co-Founder of Younited Credit talks banking, technology, Brexit, and his international expansion plans. Source