Marketplace lending analytics platform dv01 has announced the launch of a new securitization portal called Securitization Explorer; the new product will provide data, analytics and visualization tools for marketplace lending securitizations; in comments regarding the announcement, Perry Rahbar, founder and CEO of dv01, said, "With Securitization Explorer, we are extending the reach of our already robust tools to meet the specific needs of investors in these deals." Source
In a Q & A with Forbes, Matt Burton, CEO of Orchard discusses the early days of marketplace lending and how Orchard came to be; the company has raised $45 million and has institutional investors across the globe who utilize the platform; Burton also talks about their focus on the secondary market and what upcoming startups he thinks are interesting. Source
Peter Renton from Lend Academy provides his quarterly report on marketplace lending investments; the portfolio return continued to trend lower in the fourth quarter of 2016 however the overall decrease was lower than previous quarters; trailing twelve month returns in Q4 2016 was 8.07% compared to 8.21% in Q3 2016; defaults were a significant factor during the quarter, reaching a new high; an analysis of performance across the following companies is included: Lending Club, Prosper, Direct Lending Income Fund, Lend Academy P2P Fund, P2Binvestor and PeerStreet. Source
The replay for Wednesday's LendIt Forum: Investor Opportunities in Non-Prime Lending is now available; the webinar discussed the non-prime investment space including details on the profile of non-prime investors and the returns investors can expect from this category; speakers included James Zhang from NerdWallet, Aaron Peck from Monroe Capital and Tim Ranney from Clarity Services.
Experian discusses some of the marketplace lending industry's new expectations following a challenging year in 2016 that resulted in decreased confidence in the alternative investments; suggests that the investment and banking communities will increase their focus on platform profitability which has been overlooked given significant growth rates in top-line revenue; notes industry self-regulation from multiple viewpoints including six new industry associations created in the past year; emphasizes the importance of a disciplined approach for data and risk management; reports overall that change within the industry could be good for a number of reasons. Sponsored Blog Post
California-based startup Tala has raised $30 million for its marketplace lending platform; investors in the funding round included IVP, Ribbit Capital, Lowercase Capital, Data Collective and Collaborative Fund; the firm offers loans in Kenya through alternative credit underwriting which utilizes accessible data on payrolls, savings, payments history and social network activity; it plans to expand to Mexico and India. Source
Cloud Lending Solutions has closed a new financing round led by Cota Capital; firm plans to further develop its products and expand globally; currently offers product solutions for origination, underwriting, servicing and collections in over 23 countries with approximately 2,800 lending users. Source
RealtyMogul has announced it will open its MogulREIT I Fund for self-directed IRA investing; the announcement will give non-accredited investors access to higher performing alternative credit investments for a minimum of $1,000; the Fund has also announced a new dividend reinvestment option and two new property investments. Source
LendIt has announced eight finalists from a pool of approximately 300 applicants for this year's PitchIt @ LendIt USA; finalists will be connected with mentors for competition preparation and ongoing business support; LendIt has partnered with 500 Startups and sponsor Marqeta to host the event; the finalists will present to a panel of judges at LendIt USA 2017 on March 7. Source
PeerStreet is a platform founded by Brew Johnson? and Brett Crosby; initially launched to take advantage of inefficiencies in the real estate market, the platform has grown to service a wide range of accredited investors; the platform has originated over $200 million in real estate loans; it attributes its success to the platform's focus on short-term, first position lien loans, and a robust legal and compliance team; Brew Johnson will be speaking at LendIt USA 2017 on a panel discussing "Residential & Commercial Real Estate: What's next for real estate crowdfunding?" Source