Lists of alternative financial services

This is the Consumerium list of alternative financial services lists.

The Finnish language URLs http://velallisten.yhteinen.asia and http://vertaislainaajien.yhteinen.asia redirect here.

Spectrum of consumer finance by the lowest troll

  • Proletariat finance ->
  • Credit card debt ->
  • Bank loan

What is alternative finance? What are alternative financial services?

Alternative Finance refers to financial channels and instruments that have emerged outside of the traditional finance system such as regulated banks and capital markets. Examples of alternative financing activities through 'online marketplaces' are reward-based crowdfunding, equity crowdfunding, peer-to-peer consumer and business lending, invoice trading third party payment platforms.”

Alternative financial services (AFS) are financial services provided outside traditional banking institutions, on which many low-income individuals depend. In developing countries, these services often take the form of microfinance. In developed countries, the services may be similar to those provided by banks and include payday loans, rent-to-own agreements, pawnshops, refund anticipation loans, some subprime mortgage loans and car title loans, and non-bank check cashing, money orders, and money transfers. It also includes traditional moneylending by door-to-door collection.”

Often the spectrum ranges from brute loan sharking in operations known as w:payday loans all the way to almost respectable interest taking of non-collateralized loans.



Peer-to-peer lending, peer-to-peer investing and socially responsible investing

Peer-to-peer lending, abbreviated P2PL, is the practice of lending money to unrelated individuals, or "peers", without going through a traditional financial intermediary such as a bank or other traditional financial institution. P2PL is not to be confused with peer to peer investing (P2PI). This lending takes place online on peer-to-peer lending companies' websites using various different lending platforms and credit checking tools. Many also use the abbreviation "P2P" when discussing the peer-to-peer lending or investing industries more generally. Peer-to-peer lending is also known as crowdlending.”

Peer-to-peer investing (P2PI) is the practice of investing money in notes to borrowers who are requesting a loan without going through a traditional financial intermediary and who are unknown to the investor.”

Socially responsible investing (SRI), also known as sustainable, socially conscious, "green" or ethical investing, is any investment strategy which seeks to consider both financial return and social good.”

Equity crowdfunding is the online offering of private company securities to a group of people to investment.”

“An ethical bank, also known as a social, alternative, civic, or sustainable bank, is a bank concerned with the social and environmental impacts of its investments and loans. The ethical banking movement includes: ethical investment, impact investment, socially responsible investment, corporate social responsibility, and is also related to such movements as the fair trade movement, ethical consumerism, and social enterprise.”

~ Wikipedia on ethical bank

Microfinance and microcredit

Microfinance is a source of financial services for entrepreneurs and small businesses lacking access to banking and related services.”

~ Wikipedia on microfinance

Microcredit is the extension of very small loans (microloans) to impoverished borrowers who typically lack collateral, steady employment and a verifiable credit history.”

~ Wikipedia on microcredit
More reading Impact of microcredit

What is APR, why does it matter?

“APR stands for the annual percentage rate.”

~ everyone on annual percentage rate

“[...] In many countries and jurisdictions, lenders (such as banks) are required to disclose the "cost" of borrowing in some standardized way as a form of consumer protection. APR is intended to make it easier to compare lenders and loan options.”

~ Wikipedia on annual percentage rate

“In EU all loaning operations must show the APR for their example loans that they use to market their services.”

~ European Parliament on law regarding advertisement of loans
  • APR can range from hundreds of percent to few tens of percent. Credit card debt is usually in the 10-15% zone.

Consumerium list of alternative financial services lists

Socially Responsible Investing

  • https://www.lendahand.com/ is an online impact investing platform where socially conscious investors can invest in entrepreneurs and sustainable
  • Kiva (.org) is an international nonprofit, founded in 2005 and based in San Francisco, with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. It provides P2P microcredits in 82 countries - Their slogan is "To connect people through lending to alleviate poverty"
  • https://www.openinvest.co/ is a w:Public-benefit corporation offering a platform for making socially responsible investments in USD.
  • https://www.swellinvesting.com/ offers w:impact investing services in USD.
  • United Prosperity (.org) is a non-profit organization offering P2P microcredit services and operates with PayPal payments. It does not lend directly to the receiver of the loan, but instead a bank. The microcredit offered by the investors is used as collateral for the bank resulting in the bank effectively loaning almost double the amount of money invested by the investor.
  • Zidisha (.org) is a non-profit P2P microcredit platform for investing in Africa and Asia. It is the first international P2P microcredit platform ever created.

Cryptocurrency based P2P lending services


Multiple countries / currencies

  • https://www.twino.eu/ is P2P lending service operating in the EU, Latvia, Poland, Russia, Georgia, Denmark, Spain and Kazakhstan. The site is available in English, German and Latvian.

Africa

Nigeria


Asia

Australia

List of P2P financial services in Australia

China

List of P2P financial services in China

Hong Kong

List of P2P financial services in Hong Kong

India

List of P2P financial services in India

Korea

  • 8Percent (.kr)is a korean P2P financing service for businesses
  • Funda (.kr) is a P2P financing service for SMEs
  • Honest Fund (.kr) is a P2P financing service by BMO
  • Lendit (.co.kr) is a korean P2P financing service for consumers
  • Roof Funding (.com) is a Korean P2P financing service for real estate

Marshall islands

List of P2P financial services in Marshall Islands


New Zealand

List of P2P financial services in New Zealand

Singapore

List of P2P financial services in Singapore

Europe

List of P2P financial services in Europe

Austria

List of P2P financial services in Austria

Belgium

List of P2P financial services in Belgium

Bulgaria

Czech republic

List of P2P financial services in Czech republic

Estonia

List of P2P financial services in Estonia

Finland

List of Finnish alternative financial services lists

View Consumerium list of price comparison services in Finland for more finance related comparison shopping websites].

List of P2P financial services in Finland

List of alternative investment schemes in Finland

France

List of P2P financial services in France

Germany

List of P2P financial services in Germany

List of P2P rental services in Germany

Ireland

List of P2P financial services in Ireland

Italy

List of P2P financial services in Italy

Latvia

List of P2P financial services in Latvia

List of investment services in Latvia

Lithuania

List of P2P financial services in Lithuania

Netherlands

List of P2P financial services in Netherlands

Poland

List of P2P financial services in Poland

Portugal

List of P2P financial services in Portugal

  • https://www.raize.pt/ is a Portuguese P2P loan service for SMEs. Raize was the first P2P financial service in Europe to go public with it's IPO in 2018


Slovakia

List of P2P financial services in Slovakia

Spain

List of P2P financial services in Spain

Sweden

Lists of P2P financial services in Sweden

Switzerland

UK

List of P2P financial services in UK

Lists of P2P financial services in UK

Middle East

Israel

List of P2P financial services in Israel

United Arab Emirates

List of P2P financial services in UAE

South America

Brasilia

List of P2P financial services in Brasilia

North America

Canada

Lists of P2P financial services in Canada

USA

Lists of P2P financial services in USA


Links to useful information on P2P lending