Assetz leads Peer2Peer Finance Awards shortlist
Assetz has gained the highest number of places on the shortlist for the inaugural Peer2Peer Finance Awards.
The group as been shortlisted in a total of nine categories, as well as CEO of the year for Stuart Law.
Its peer-to-peer lending platform, Assetz Capital, has been shortlisted for business lender, property development lender, buy-to-let lender, innovative lender, P2P platform and IFISA provider.
Meanwhile, its sister company, social housing investment platform Assetz Exchange, has made the shortlist for buy-to-let lender, ethical lender and rising star.
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Assetz Capital is now the biggest platform in the P2P sector, following the exit of Zopa and Funding Circle.
The platform thrived during the pandemic, playing a vital role in supporting the nation’s small businesses and housebuilders by participating in the government’s Covid loan schemes.
While institutions give Assetz their stamp of approval with funding lines, the platform also remains loyal to its retail roots and manages to provide solid returns for both groups of investors.
“It’s really good to see that they like what we’ve been doing over the years,” said Law. “Certainly, investors have earned gross interest of getting on for £170m or so over the years and that’s probably been extremely welcomed over that desert period of low interest rates.
“We’re now seeing higher interest rates coming through and expect to be able to provide a lot more of those to people. It’s already started, we’re going to be seeing seven, eight, nine per cent returns gross. So hopefully that also delights people.”
Read more: Assetz Capital reports 2022 lending peak in July
Law said he would be particularly proud to see Assetz Capital recognised for its core mission role in opening up access to funding for property development.
While seeing Assetz Exchange recognised in the ethical lender category for its role in providing much needed supported housing for people with special needs, and to charities, would also be a source of pride.
Assetz will be 10 years old in April and Law expects to see the firm continue to go from strength to strength beyond that milestone.
“We’ve probably got £1bn of cash available for development funding, for example, in Assetz Capital,” he added. “And it’s just a huge impact we’re having, with the banks retracting again, alternative finance is just so important.”