Marketplace lending took root in the shadow of the last financial crisis. Now, the question for consumers, businesses and marketplace lenders (MPLs) alike, is whether the conditions are right for it to thrive in the wake of the coronavirus and what may be the “deepest recession on record.”
No doubt, cash-strapped consumers and small businesses will want to turn to nonbank lenders, such as MPLs and other fintech companies, for funding. MPLs may even be able to provide those loans through the recently announced Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act” (CARES Act). But there are hurdles this time around in what is currently an economic, rather than financial, crisis. Investors already seem to recognize this, as publicly traded MPLs continue to trade at or near all-time lows. Read more…