Weekly industry news roundup – March 20, 2017

Financial Well-being

Around the world

Forbes published an article exploring how the marketplace lending phenomenon is spreading worldwide. Technology which enables faster decisions for borrowers and stronger returns for investors has earned appeal from the burgeoning Asian market. The author explains that “Over the last 5-10 years, China, India, and Southeast Asia have leapfrogged from a cash-based society,” she continues, “it’s a prime market for alternative lenders.”

***

The Motley Fool offered readers a brief guide of questions to ask oneself before borrowing from a P2P lending site. The author suggests potential borrowers consider the interest rates, eligibility and fees. These are all critical aspects to becoming comfortable with the borrowing process outside the realm of a traditional bank.

***

Business Insider took a look at the areas of FinTech poised for continued growth through 2017. Crowdfunding and alternative lending all ranked in the top ten. Sources like Startup Boot Camp and PwC illustrate that both are primed to maintain their growth relative to 2016. The author posited that newcomers to the P2P world will endeavor to improve existing systems.

***

The Times explored the ways investors are seeking more aggressive growth from their investments amid lower interest rates in traditional banking products. Rather than just maintaining savings, more people are discovering that they can generate respectable returns with managed risk in marketplace lending.

***

Crowdfund Insider released an article reviewing new measures from The Bank of England Fintech Accelerator. The organization is working to bridge the divide between innovative, ‘disruptive’ FinTech firms and traditional banks. The idea is to create an environment more conducive to creativity in the financial space. These partnerships mirror the trend of banks seeking to adopt marketplace lending systems.