EY has published a new report on alternative lending and is optimistic that the liquidity issues of late 2015-2016 are resolving with a dramatic shift to a new asset fixed income asset class available to retail investors. Growing bank partnerships are a mixed bag – the big opportunity is access to large client bases and low cost funds, but incumbents post competitive threats as well. Headwinds include increased regulatory scrutiny and consolidation within a fragmented industry. The alternative lending space has journeyed through growth and struggled with challenges, especially in the last year. That goes for all segments of the space: SME, consumer, student, auto and mortgages. With all of the chatter surrounding the future of alternative business finance, analysts at EY have released a new report exploring the path these various AltFin players are on and examining where alternative SME lending fits on that spectrum. And there are other issues ahead for alternative SME lenders. For instance, while many players emerged as competitors to banks that could not fill the SME finance gap, today, collaboration between banks and alternative lenders has been key to ensuring these alternative players get visibility and a reputable name behind them.
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