Starling, a leading FinTech “challenger bank” still has its sights set on an IPO, Covid virus or not. Given the volatile state of the FinTech sector, some might argue this a statement of intent, not a plan. Either way, AltFi carries the tale. Earlier reports of a Starling Bank IPO as soon as 2022 might be on hold, as […]
Self-isolation and working from home come easily to the team at Money&Co. We have a small team and, thanks to a super-conservative approach to risk analysis, we have a business that functions well, despite difficult conditions in a Covid world. Incidentally, that conservative approach to risk analysis means that the flow of loan offerings on […]
Much of the FinTech sector is in a state of suspended animation as the virus effects pan out. We’ve long been predicting a period of consolidation in the UK’s platform, or peer-to-peer (P2P) sector, and Crowdfundinisder brings news of fall-out in the American P2P market. This includes a story of a possible “fire sale” of […]
Virus or no virus, cryptocurrencies are still with us. Mind you, in this emerging asset class you really have to pick your crypto. Scams must be avoided. Crowdfundinsider has news on the OneCoin saga (fans of “The Missing Crypto Queen” podcast will not be surprised at this development). Judge Valerie Caproni has lifted the stay on a […]
Much of the UK economy has opted for the state of self-induced coma. We’re very pleased to say that our own financial technology sector is the exception to this rule. Much of FinTech’s world is online. So it’s business pretty much as usual – including this new launch, news of which is brought to us […]
As yet, the long-term effects on the global economy are difficult to predict. The knock-ons, though, are easier to see. There have already been a series of brutal short-term hits to the travel (notably airlines) and leisure industries. The number of pubs in the UK was already on the wane; smaller, weaker airlines such as […]
The convergence between mainstream finance and the alternative sector is a dynamic process. The mainstream has thrown a lot of money – often with painful consequences – at alternatives. On the other hand, entities such as challenger FinTech banks are entering the savings market. While platform lending is not directly comparable with savings accounts, the […]
January is a time of looking both backwards and forwards. We’re keeping our powder largely dry on the positive aspects of 2020 for Money&Co. – new loan tranches, the incursion into banking – and indulge in a further moment of retrospection. Our view on the problems created for the platform lending sector by investment bankers […]
Call it platform lending, marketplace lending or peer-to-peer (P2P) lending, the loans facilitated in our sector are a new asset class. The novelty of platform lending has contributed to a classic case of the syndrome known as fear of the unknown. There have been some high-profile failures in the sector. The lesson we’ve learned from […]
Is this the future of consumer-facing FinTech? HSBC is rolling out a platform for “yield-hungry investors”. Well, maybe – but with a track record of just 0.03 per cent of annualised bad debt and lenders’ gross yields averaging more than 8 per cent over the $19 million and five years of operation, we think we’re […]