Lending startups dominate digital banking funding scene

Lending firms dominate the fintech funding scene, pulling in nearly two thirds of all investment in digital banking startups in 2015, according to CB Insights.

Since 2010, digital banking startups around the world have received over $10.3 billion in funding, says CB Insights.

Of the four broad categories identified by the firm - lending, banking/personal finance, investment management, and bill payment/money transfer - lending has constantly attracted the most investment but has seen its popularity soar in the last two years.

In 2015 mega deals such as SoFi’s $1 billion Series E and Lufax’s $485 million round saw lending startups pull in 63% of all digital banking investment dollars, up from 43% in 2010 and nearly three times more than any other category. Lending also accounted for half of all deal activity during the year.

By contrast, the dollar share for bill pay and money transfer startups has dropped from 43% in 2011 to just 24% in 2015. Investment management startups have also seen a drop off in funding, from a 22% dollar share in 2013 to just eight per cent last year, while banking and personal finance outfits continue to attract the smallest share of money, just five per cent in 2015.

Channels

Retail banking Payments Start ups

Keywords

Mobile & online banking Electronic bill presentment and payment Personal finance Research/analysis

Comments: (3)

Ketharaman Swaminathan - GTM360 Marketing Solutions - Pune 08 January, 2016, 12:30

Be the first to give this comment the thumbs up

0 likes

This totally reflects the degree of independence from banking rails and, thereby, disruption potential, of the various fintech segments. As for banking and personal finance, it's amazing how this segment even managed to attract 5% of investments, given that it comprises merely of good old banks that show up via snazzy mobile apps.

Report abuse

Balasubramaniam Gd - DBS - singapore 12 January, 2016, 01:45

0 likes

i am not being conservative nor am i being pessimitic as a risk manager what is the nature of alignment risk managers need to get ready for in risk assessments for these enviornments, finally anything goes kaput the blame will finally rest with the risk teams given the parable that finally the loss goes to the business and not the bonus. I would really lke to see and hear your thoughts on this very fast rapidly moving space, in an aim to stay relevant in this domain.

Report abuse

Hitesh Thakkar - SME - Fintech startups (APAC and Africa) - India 26 January, 2016, 10:56

0 likes

Mr Balasubramaniam, I can share some insights based on my interactions with few P2P lendeing startups.

Lending space has been in High Risk area where in new enterents have found new risk management criterias to create risk profile and ranking. P2P Lending is happening with various models such as bill payment patterns of high risk ( Propsect for Telecom led payments bank and players), building risk score as function of existing debt, income sources and prospects.