VIAINVEST blog

With the Summer of 2017 in the books, we thought what better time to introduce some of the top reads (and one documentary) on the economy covering fintech, peer-to-peer lending, the sharing economy, and cryptocurrencies, all of which continue to grab more of the economic spotlight. These trends have contributed to reshaping the global economy as we know it and yet it remains early innings for many markets. Continue reading Top 10 Financial Industry Disrupters and the Magic Behind Them

Sometimes it feels like every other week we learn of another high profile cyber-attack or data leak. Unfortunately, cyber-crime has become a lucrative business, and financial sites are among those on the front line of attack. Fortunately, there are certain things you can do to protect your accounts and to minimise the chances of cyber theft. Continue reading How to Keep your Investing Accounts Secure

While ISA (an individual savings account) season, which reflects a turn in the tax year, may be behind us, it’s still high tide for Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA) investment opportunities. Innovative Finance ISA investment opportunities are unfolding fast and furious, as UK-based peer-to-peer lenders respond to rising demand from income investors hunting returns beyond those offered in the traditional markets. The capital has been flowing from other Individual Savings Account products and into the tax-free P2P lender platforms via IFISAs. And it’s not even ISA season any longer. Continue reading High Tide for IFISA

What is Passive Income?

There have been articles before on the VIAINVEST blog post about creating a passive income online. Developing passive income streams to provide ongoing income is a very positive step to improving your financial health. Previous articles have looked at passive income more generally, whereas this focuses purely on Peer to Peer Lending as an income source. Continue reading How to Earn a Passive Income by Investing in P2P Lending

Prosper. Amazon. Expedia.  These are just a couple of names that spring to mind when discussing the sharing economy. And whether consumers realize it or not, they are the ones that are driving the momentum in the sharing economy based on their willingness to share and not necessarily own assets. In fact, according to a recent Bank of America Merrill Lynch report, the sharing economy is “transforming 21^st century business” as we know it. Continue reading The Sharing Economy Has More Industry Disrupting Ahead

In the UK banks are pushing back against what monetary policymakers have described as a “borrowing binge” among UK households. In fact, over the past quarter, traditional banks have tightened credit to levels not seen since the financial crisis, according to a recent survey by the Bank of England. Indeed, some 10 percent of banks have made it harder for borrowers to obtain an unsecured loan. Continue reading Overcoming Misperceptions in the P2P Lending Space

Australia’s profile for fintech is rising, evidenced by a trend of greater investments and more startups jockeying for position in the market.

A record AUD 656 million poured into Australia’s fintech segment in 2016, three times more than the prior year, according to KPMG. Performance bucked the trend of global fintech investments, which fell by almost 50 percent to nearly AUD 25 billion during the same period. Meanwhile, about 16 percent of all Aussie start-ups represent fintech. Continue reading Australia – the Latest Hotbed for Fintech and P2P Startups

While transferring money between banks in the same country is usually free (or close to it), consumers sending money to a bank in another country are often faced with high fees and hidden charges. It doesn’t make sense to make regular small deposits and withdrawals to investment services in another country if you are faced with double digit fees. Fortunately, fintech startups such as CurrencyFair and Transferwise have come on leaps and bounds in recent years and forcing the money transfer industry to look carefully at costs. Continue reading How Low-Cost Money Exchange Services are Making Cross-Border Investing Easier