Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Lending in Portugal – Top 5 Platforms 2023

If you are a Portuguese investor interested in P2P lending, you may want to consider these top platforms for investing in peer-to-peer lending in Portugal currently available:

Best local platforms for peer-to-peer lending in Portugal

In Portugal, there exist some P2P lending platforms that cater to local needs. These platforms concentrate on financing small businesses and promoting renewable energy. The following are the leading P2P lending platforms in Portugal:

• Goparity
• Citizenergy
• Edebex
• Raize

The first Portuguese P2P investment platform was Citizenergy which was founded in 2012.

History of peer-to-peer lending in Portugal

Peer-to-peer lending, also known as P2P lending or crowdlending, is a form of alternative finance that connects individual borrowers with lenders through online platforms, without the need for traditional banks or financial institutions. In Portugal, the interest in P2P lending started around the early 2010s, mainly driven by the global financial crisis and the subsequent economic downturn.

The financial crisis of 2008 had a significant impact on Portugal’s economy, leading to high unemployment rates, reduced credit access, and a general distrust of traditional banking systems. As a result, Portuguese entrepreneurs and small businesses started looking for alternative financing options, and P2P lending emerged as a promising solution. The early adopters of P2P lending in Portugal were inspired by the success of international platforms such as Lending Club (USA) and Zopa (UK).

One of the most popular platforms, Raize, was launched in 2015. It focused on providing loans to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) struggling to obtain financing from traditional banks. Since then, the market has evolved, and new platforms have emerged, such as GoParity which is focused on sustainable projects. These platforms have attracted the attention of both retail and institutional investors, who see P2P lending as an opportunity to diversify their portfolios and achieve higher returns compared to traditional investments.

In recent years, P2P lending in Portugal has seen steady growth. Despite this growth, the Portuguese market is still relatively small compared to other European countries like Latvia, Germany, and Sweden, especially considering its population size.

Best foreign platforms for P2P lending in Portugal

To find the best P2P lending platforms in Portugal that have low fees and high returns, there are several popular options to consider. These include:

• Lendermarket: This platform offers Portuguese investors a variety of P2P lending options. It has an easy-to-use platform with low fees and high-return loans.
• Esketit: This platform specializes in short-term loans and is favored by Portuguese investors for its high potential returns.
• Reinvest24: This platform focuses on crowdfunding opportunities for real estate projects in the rest of Europe and offers investors access to equity investments.
• AxiaFunder: This unique platform focuses on litigation crowdfunding, offering Portuguese investors a different kind of investment opportunity.
• PeerBerry: This platform provides investors with a range of P2P lending options, including personal, business, and real estate loans. It also offers a buyback guarantee.

These platforms offer Portuguese investors a diverse range of P2P lending options that come with low fees and the potential for higher returns. Investors should research each platform to determine which one best suits their investment goals.

FAQ about P2P lending for Portuguese investors: