Credit Union Marketplace Lending Business Models

Crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter and IndieGoGo have developed at an exponential rate and have been used to develop a variety of artistic, commercial and social ventures. Alongside this marketplace lending has provided retail-level people the opportunity to lend money to each other using platforms such as Lending Club and Prosper. In 2014, in the United States $16.2 billion was raised through crowdfunding platforms, over $11.4 billion of which was in the form of marketplace lending (Marketwired, 2015). Canada has been slow to adopt marketplace lending, but recent regulatory changes have opened the market. This research project will explore the possible connections between these new fintech (financial technology) models, impact investments that seek positive social-ecological impacts as well as financial returns, and the Canadian credit union sector. It is anticipated that this work will be used in the development of new credit union products and services.

Faculty Supervisor:

Sean Geobey

Student:

Indi Madar

Partner:

Canadian Credit Union Association

Discipline:

Environmental sciences

Sector:

University:

University of Waterloo

Program: