2016-03-01
Finance’s ‘Quantum Leap’ moment? Altfi and cryptocurrency
Incumbent institutional investors themselves admit that they have a lot of catching up to do before they can compete with the “upstart” marketplace lending providers. A Morgan Stanley research paper published in June discussed how banks were hampered both by their due diligence restrictions, and by the backwardness of their big data analysis techniques.
A new age
Because new marketplace lenders have less operating costs, they are attractive to borrowers as they are able to offer lower commissions; their risk assessment criteria are less exacting than banks, and they incorporate demographic data into their analysis. Thus they are able to offer lower interest rates to interested investors. At the time, Morgan Stanley analysts explained this phenomenon: “Traditional banks excel at originating loans and underwriting credit, but are slowed by the batch process and portfolio approach to their deposit and loan legacy systems, which are the backbone of the US and global payments system, and by liquidity and capital rules.”
Bitcoin-denominated loans
As well as raising the bar in big data analysis, both for existing users and in targeting potential loan seekers, many in the marketplace lending sector have enthusiastically adopted Bitcoin and the blockchain in their payments system. BTCjam was among the first forums to facilitate lending in Bitcoin. Founded in late 2012, in 2013 it gained a wealth of sponsors in Ribbit Capital, 500 Startups, FundersClub and the Bitcoin Investment Trust. By the end of 2014, BTCjam had facilitated bitcoin loans of over of $10 million in value, with more than 100,000 users in over 200 countries. The fact that its due diligence procedure only goes so far as an “optional soft credit check” helps explain its popularity. Bitcoin and BTCPOP both offer bitcoin-denominated loans, of the “instant” and collateral-tied variety. Loanbase, formerly known as BitLendingClub, specializes in bitcoin loans to developing countries, where beneficiaries might not have a bank account.
Marketplaces are creating their own currency, too
Another alternative finance startup has created an entire new currency, LoanCoin, which appreciates as interest is paid on a loan. Once the interest and principal are paid off, the attached LoanCoin is destroyed and exchanged for a currency of the coinholders’ choice, so the currency value is preserved. The system created by Lending DApp allows aspiring lenders, or “officers,” to source and guarantee new loans for coinholders and charge fees for their service. Financial institutions, marketplace lenders and even individuals can act as officers, though their commission and the size of the credit extension is dependent on credit rating. Lending is also at the officer’s own risk and in the event of default or missed payment, collateral is lost. The credit extension, also called a “trust line,” is calculated by applying an aggregate function to an officer’s weighted trust ratings. The network is able to draw on the accumulated knowledge of its participants when assessing lenders’ reputations and creditworthiness.
What the future holds
Max Rangeley, who works for the think tank Cobden Centre that’s creating a Bitcoin exhibition for the European Parliament, thinks the Bitcoin transfer system “blockchain” could one day be commonplace among marketplace lenders. Users could, Rangeley says, insure the asset they use as loan collateral with blockchain. “The blockchain means [marketplace lending] can be de-centralised still further,” Rangeley adds, explaining that alternative finance companies and credit market participants are already considering the idea. Morgan Stanley analyst Smittipon Srethapramote, meanwhile, believes partnerships will be key going forward, no matter what currency loans are denominated in. “The fastest growing marketplace platforms are not really peer-to-peer but institutional investors partnering with tech platforms to cherry-pick borrowers, often with offline marketing,” he says. The future is bright for alternative finance, and while there’s still uncertainty regarding some specifics, one thing is clear: Disruption is coming.
Disclaimer: The material provided on this site is not intended to provide legal, investment, or financial advice or to indicate the suitability of any Even Financial product or service to your unique circumstances. For specific advice about your unique circumstances, you may wish to consult a qualified professional. Any information or statistical data sourced by Even Financial through hyperlinks, from third-party websites, are provided for informational purposes only. While Even Financial finds these sources to be accurate, it does not endorse or guarantee any third-party content.
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Even Financial Adds Tally's Low-Interest Line of Credit to its Embedded Finance Marketplace
NEW YORK, NY, March 15, 2022 -- Even Financial ("Even"), the category-leading embedded finance marketplace and independently managed subsidiary of MoneyLion, Inc. (NYSE: ML), has announced a new partnership with Tally, a leading financial automation company, to include the company's low-interest credit offerings on its platform.
"Tally has built a powerful tech-enabled system to help people solve one of the biggest financial problems today: paying off credit card debt," said Phill Rosen, Founder and CEO of Even. "We're thrilled to welcome Tally's line of credit offerings to Even's unparalleled network of financial services providers."
Tally is designed to help its members pay off their debt faster and save them money on interest and late fees. Members can lower their monthly payment with Tally's lower-interest line of credit, if eligible. Typically, at least a 580 FICO score is needed. Tally's system is customized to save people as much money as possible.
"Americans today owe nearly $1 trillion in credit card debt. We know from our research that many want to pay down their debt but struggle to get started. That's where Tally comes in," said Jason Huynh, VP of Credit, Analytics & Operations at Tally. "Our system combines financial automation with a low-interest line of credit to give people the help they need to get on track to pay off their credit card debt for good. We're thrilled that our partnership with Even will allow Tally to help even more people."
The launch of Tally on the Even platform enables consumers to get matched with Tally's custom, low-interest line of credit accounts of up to $25,000 in just a few minutes. After getting matched, eligible consumers complete the process through the Tally app. There are no out-of-pocket costs.
Tally is the latest partner to join the Even marketplace, a growing network of over 400 financial services partners and 500 channel partners covering a breadth of financial services including loans, credit cards, mortgages, savings, and insurance products. Even's marketplace technology enables any company to add financial products to its business, with full compliance and security, at scale.
About Even Financial
Even digitally connects and matches consumers with real-time, personalized financial product recommendations from banks, insurance carriers, and fintech companies on mobile apps, websites, and other digital touchpoints through its marketplace technology. Even's infrastructure leverages machine learning and advanced data science to solve a significant pain point in financial services customer acquisition, seamlessly bridging financial services providers (such as SoFi) and channel partners (such as TransUnion) via its industry-leading API and embedded finance marketplaces. Even enables any company to add financial products to its business, with full compliance and security at scale. Even was named one of "America's Best Startup Employers'' by Forbes for 2021 and was named to the 2021 Deloitte Technology Fast 500, which recognizes the fastest growing tech companies in the world. Learn more at www.evenfinancial.com.
About Tally
Tally is a consumer financial tech company pioneering full-service financial automation to help people save money, pay down their debt and reach their goals sooner. Founded in 2015, the company built the first fully automated debt manager to help put billions of dollars back in people's pockets. In 2021, Tally was named to Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies list and to Quartz's Best Companies for Remote Workers. Previously, Tally made Forbes' Next Billion Dollar Startup list, Forbes' Fintech 50 list, and the app won Real Simple's Smart Money award. Learn more at meettally.com.
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Even
Even Financial’s Embedded Finance Marketplaces Surpass $5 Billion in Credit Facilitated
NEW YORK, NY, April 19, 2022 -- Even Financial (“Even”), the category-leading embedded finance marketplace and independent subsidiary of MoneyLion, Inc. (NYSE: ML), has announced it has now facilitated over $5 billion in consumer credit, as of March 2022. Leveraging machine learning and advanced data science, Even solves a significant pain point in financial services customer acquisition by seamlessly bridging financial service providers and channel partners via its industry-leading API and embedded finance marketplaces.
“Surpassing $5 billion in consumer credit facilitated through our marketplace is an enormous achievement for Even as we continue to help build the future of finance technology,” said Phill Rosen, Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “Access to credit has long been a challenge for many hard-working Americans, and we are dedicated to alleviating this issue by providing consumers personalized financial services offers that meet their needs, when they need it most. Reaching the $5 billion milestone reaffirms that our mission is driving significant value for both consumers and our partners."
Even has grown its embedded finance marketplace offerings beyond loans to cover a breadth of additional financial services including credit cards, mortgages, savings, and insurance products. Within loans, Even offers the largest network of premium, connected loan providers - across a wide array of products including unsecured personal loans, secured personal loans, line of credit, student loan refinancing, and auto loan refinancing. Leading financial services providers, such as LendingClub and SoFi, partner with Even to reach qualified consumers searching for loans, benefiting from Even’s unparalleled network and native integrations.
The company has continued its rapid growth trajectory in 2022, growing its network to include over 400 financial services partners and 500 channel partners. Even's marketplace technology enables any company to add financial products to its business, with full compliance and security at scale. Earlier this year, Even announced the close of its acquisition by MoneyLion, the award-winning digital financial platform, which will continue to advance their combined efforts of providing financial access and advice to hard working Americans.
About Even Financial
Even digitally connects and matches consumers with real-time, personalized financial product recommendations from banks, insurance carriers, and fintech companies on mobile apps, websites, and other digital touchpoints through its marketplace technology. Even's infrastructure leverages machine learning and advanced data science to solve a significant pain point in financial services customer acquisition, seamlessly bridging financial services providers (such as SoFi) and channel partners (such as TransUnion) via its industry-leading API and embedded finance marketplaces. Even enables any company to add financial products to its business, with full compliance and security at scale. Even was named one of "America's Best Startup Employers'' by Forbes for 2022 and was named to the 2021 Deloitte Technology Fast 500, which recognizes the fastest growing tech companies in the world. Learn more at evenfinancial.com.
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