If you are living in the UK then there is an abundance of available p2p lending services available for you to invest into. However for most other countries, even developed European markets, there are few or even none p2p lending services operating in. Quite often I receive emails from readers that ask which platforms are open for international investors, so I decided to create this information page.
Why invest in p2p lending abroad?
Aside form the obvious reason (being, that there is no p2p lending market in the country the investor resides in), there are several other reasons even if there is a local service:
- Diversification
- More features (e.g. a secondary market or secured loans or more better data)
- (Perceived) better risk-reward ratio
What is meant by ‘open to international, non-resident investors’
Some platforms say, yes we are open to international investors, but they really mean only large institutional investors. Or they mean expats, because they require a local bank account and a local passport. On this page ‘open’ means the platform is allowing foreign nationals, that reside in a foreign country and have a bank account outside the local market to invest as a retail investor in p2p loans on the platform.
Know your customer, anti money laundering
Legal reasons require the platforms to check identities of investors. For local investors that often is automated. For international investors the platforms typically require the investor to upload document scans (e.g. driving license).
Currency risk and money transfer
Cross-border lending often means that the investor has to bear an additional risk: currency exchange rates fluctuate. But the first issue may arise when transferring money in. Luckily in the Eurozone the SEPA payments are fast and efficient and very low-cost (or even free). If there is a currency exchange necessary, services like Transferwise* or Currencyfair* might be cheaper options than a bank transfer.
Other
Obviously investors will have to check if legislation in their home country allows them to invest in p2p lending and what the tax implications will be.
The list
I have personally invested on the following platforms as an international investor, meaning I can tell from own experience that the platforms are not only open to international investors but that the process is also functioning well.
Bondora
Bondora*, Estonia, is open to international investors since the end of 2012. Bondora offers p2p loans to consumers (borrowers) in 4 European countries. It is open to international retail investors residing in the European Union, Switzerland and on a case by case basis other countries. It is also open to accredited investors from the US. The currency is Euro. Read my blog coverage on Bondora.
Mintos
Mintos*, Latvia, opened to investors in January 2015. Loans offered by several loan originators in Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Georgia. Some loans are secured by assets and/or buyback gurantee. Mintos is open to investors from the European Union and many other countries (see list at registration). The currencies are Euro, CZK, SEK, GBP, PLN, DKK, RON and GEL. Read my blog coverage on Mintos.
PeerBerry
PeerBerry*, Croatia, launched in 2017. PeerBerry is open to investors in the European Union and several other countries (see list at signup). PeerBerry offers short-term consumer loans in several countries secured by buyback guarantee. The currency is EUR**.
Kuflink
Kuflink*, UK, launched in 2017. Kuflink is open to international investors. Kuflink offers projects secured by UK property, lending to professional borrowers. The currency is GBP**. Read my blog articles on Kuflink.
Hive5
Hive5*, Croatia, launched in 2022. Hive5 is open to international investors. Hive5 offers short-term consumer and SME loans in Poland secured by buyback guarantee. The currency is EUR**
Get an email alert if we add new services open to international investors to this page
Information for p2p lending services
Inclusion in the above list for services that are open to international retail investors is only 80 EUR per month (plus VAT if applicable; payable in advance for one year). P2P-Banking has a global readership and is a leading resource on information about p2p lending. Aside from winning investors directly, p2p lending marketplaces will benefit by the fact that information & tables compiled on this site are often cited or the contents copied by media and other internet sites, which will lead to even larger awareness for the service. For inclusion please email me. (my Linkedin profile)
**I plan to invest on this marketplace in the future
Further Questions
Which peer to peer lending is best?
Consult list of good p2p lending marketplaces here.
Which platforms offer p2p lending in Europe?
Find a list ofplatforms for p2p lending in Europe here.
Can you make money with p2p lending?
P2P lending can deliver high ROIs, but it is a high risk investment. Investors should diversify over platforms and many loans.