Alternative Lending

The book covers alternative lending using the emergence of Debt Funds in the EU as a case study. The book explores the risks that they can pose to financial stability, and the regulatory and supervisory tools available to mitigate these risks. Through this analysis, the book uncovers the risks and potential risk mitigation tools that can be applied to the alternative lenders–including debt funds and other potential alternative lenders. After identifying the reasons behind the growth of alternative lenders (using as example the assets of Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) and in particular debt funds) and the simultaneous decrease of the banks’ assets, the book analyses the systemic importance of the alternative lenders and the risk channels through which the systemic risk can spread to the banking sector and the financial system. Then, the book deals with the financial innovation-market failure theory and demonstrates that financial innovations (e.g. debt funds, securitisations) can cause market failures, resulting in regulatory interventions. Of interest to banking and financial regulation academics, researchers, and practitioners this book analyses the regulatory provisions in place for both credit institutions and debt funds, including the Basel Accords, the Capital Requirements Directives and Regulations, and the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) and its implementation in various EU jurisdictions, before offering a proposal for a new three-defensive framework applicable to debt funds and to other potential alternative lenders.

Several articles discuss the issues surrounding alternative lending.

Lessons in innovation from key FinTech trends and successes Creating Strategic Value through Financial Technology explores the growing Financial Technology (FinTech) industry to provide insight on how traditional financial institutions and FinTech companies can boost innovation and enhance valuation in a complex regulatory environment. In plumbing the depth and breadth of several niches within in the FinTech sector, author Jay Wilson uncovers key themes that have contributed to the industry's success; in this book, he maps them together to provide useful guideposts for investors, entrepreneurs, and traditional institutions looking to facilitate growth as technology and financial services collide. With an expert's perspective on FinTech history and outlook, certain trends and examples of value-enhancing strategies stand out. FinTech niches covered include: payments, crowdfunding, alternative/marketplace lending, the blockchain, and technology solutions in the context of banking, insurance, and investment companies. There is no denying the growing importance of technology in the financial services industry, and the FinTech sector offers valuable solutions for a diverse array of financial services providers and their customers. This book guides you through several niches of the FinTech sector, and highlights the most important takeaways from recent endeavors. Navigate the financial technology sector Enhance customer and product offerings Improve efficiency and cost structure Enhance profitability and company valuation from the intersection of technology and finance Innovation and customer preference is a key driver of FinTech's growth. Customers are demanding better value and convenience, and the organizations that provide it are reaping the rewards of growth. As financial regulations grow more and more complex, and customers are presented with more and more options, it is becoming imperative for traditional institutions to modernize processes and carve out a place in the future of financial services. Creating Strategic Value through Financial Technology provides a handbook for navigating that space, with practical guidance on how FinTech companies and traditional financial institutions can enhance profitability and valuation from the trends.

We live in times of change. Banks continue to be all about money. But money is less and less about banks. Nowadays people pay, send money, borrow, lend, invest and secure financing for projects increasingly without the involvement of banks. Understanding the fintech phenomenon is an imperative for us all. "Fintech Explained" covers some of the main themes related to fintech: P2P lending, alternative payments, blockchain, cryptocurrencies and wealthtech. This book is addressed to a broad audience and consequently is aiming to cover potential concerns from all of them: students, finance and banking professionals and in general all readers who are passionate about innovation, technology and finance, and who are keen to stay up-to-date with the fast-paced developments that are occurring around us. The book is hopefully answering many questions, but it aims to set the ground where additional further questions will be asked. By you, the readers.

This book explores China’s private lending market from historical, economic, legal, and regulatory perspectives. Private lending refers to moneylending agreements between business borrowers and their debt investors without the involvement of banks. In China, it remains difficult for private entrepreneurs to obtain sufficient loans from state-owned banks. Thus, private lending has been a vital alternative financing channel for over 80 million businesses which are reliant on private funds as their major source of operating capital. The market volume of private financing stands at 5 trillion yuan ($783bn), making it one of the largest shadow banking systems in the world. Despite the wide popularity and systemic importance of private lending activities, they have remained outside of the official regulatory framework, leading to extra financial risks. In 2011, China’s private lending sector encountered a severe financial crisis, as thousands of business borrowers failed to repay debts and fell into bankruptcy. Lots of bosses who found it impossible to liquidate debts ran away to hide from creditors. The financial turmoil has caused substantial monetary losses for investors across the country, which triggered social unrest and undermined the financial stability. This book is a timely work intended to demystify China’s private lending market by investigating its historical development, operating mechanism, and special characteristics. It evaluates the causes and effects of the latest financial crisis by considering a number of real cases relating to helpless investors and runaway bosses. It conducts an in-depth doctrinal analysis of Chinese laws and regulations regarding private lending transactions. It also examines China’s ongoing financial reform to bring underground lending activities under official supervision. Finally, the book points out future development paths for the private lending market. It offers suggestions for global policymakers devising an effective regulatory framework for shadow banking. It appeals to researchers, lecturers, and students in several fields, including law, business, finance, political economy, public policy, and China study.

This handbook provides the first comprehensive overview of the fast-evolving alternative finance space and makes a timely and in-depth contribution to the literature in this area. Bringing together expert contributions in the field from both practitioners and academics, in one of the most dynamic parts of the financial sector, it provides a solid reference for this exciting discipline. Divided into six parts, Section 1 presents a high-level overview of the technologically-enabled finance space. It also offers a historical perspective on technological finance models and outlines different business models. Section 2 analyses digital currencies including guides to bitcoins, other cryptocurrencies, and blockchains. Section 3 addresses alternative payment systems such as digital money and asset tokenization. Section 4 deals with crowdfunding models from both a theoretical perspective and from a regulatory perspective. Section 5 discusses data-driven business models and includes a discussion of neural networks and deep learning. Finally, Section 6 discusses welfare implications of the technological finance revolution. This collection highlights the most current developments to date and the state-of-the-art in alternative finance, while also indicating areas of further potential. Acting as a roadmap for future research in this innovative and promising area of finance, this handbook is a solid reference work for academics and students whilst also appealing to industry practitioners, businesses and policy-makers.

An essential resource for creating outsized returns in the private debt markets In Private Debt II: Finding Yield in a Zero Interest World, renowned investment advisor and industry leader Stephen Nesbitt delivers yet another essential resource for investors seeking to acquire private debt options in the investment market, including corporate direct lending, asset-backed lending, mezzanine lending, royalties, venture debt, structured credit (CLOs), specialty finance, and structured equity. Building on the success and popularity of Private Debt: Opportunities in Corporate Direct Lending, this latest edition of the author’s flagship text helps readers understand this complex and rapidly growing asset class. The book also offers: Explorations of the opportunities, relevant risks, and historical yield provided by private debt Discussions of a variety of loan investment vehicles, including the Business Development Company structure Strategies for structuring a direct loan portfolio and how to fit it into your overall investment strategy A can’t-miss resource for serious investors looking for opportunities to earn higher yields than those offered by traditional index funds while still retaining reasonable safety of principle and liquidity, Private Debt II will undoubtedly become the go-to guide for anyone looking for tried and tested debt investment strategies.