Much of the UK economy has opted for the state of self-induced coma. We’re very pleased to say that our own financial technology sector is the exception to this rule. Much of FinTech’s world is online. So it’s business pretty much as usual – including this new launch, news of which is brought to us by our friends at UKTechNews.
Lanistar, a new banking alternative fintech company, has launched today after securing a £2m seed-funding.
The company, which is based in Hammersmith, formally launches with over 45 fulltime staff, with a further 150 support staff due to be added, and is founded by serial entrepreneur Gurhan Kiziloz who has stated his ambition to create a £1bn fintech company and challenge traditional banking services.
The seed funding, which was raised through private financing and family contributions will support Lanistar’s creation of a game-changing new debit card product, that will help customers streamline their money through cutting-edge technology.
Lanistar’s flagship new product is expected to be officially launched in winter 2020 and make use of polymorphic technology and open banking.
Historical Performance And IFISA Process Guide
That figure is the result of over £20 million of loans facilitated on the site, as we bring individuals looking for a good return on capital together with carefully vetted small companies seeking funds for growth. Bear in mind that lenders’ capital is at risk. Read warnings on site before committing capital.
All loans on site are eligible to be held in a Money&Co. Innovative Finance Individual Savings Account (IFISA), up to the annual ISA limit of £20,000. Such loans offer lenders tax-free income. Our offering is an Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA) that can hold the peer-to-peer (P2P) business loans that Money&Co. facilitates. For the purposes of this article, the terms ISA and IFISA are interchangeable.
So here’s our guide to the process:
The ISA allowance for 2019/20 is unchanged from last tax year at £20,000, allowing a married couple to put £40,000 into a tax-free environment. Over three years, an investment of this scale in two Money&Co. Innovative Finance ISAs would generate £8,400 of income completely free of tax. We’re assuming a 7 per cent return, net of charges and free of tax here.
Once you have made your initial commitment, you might then consider diversifying – buying a spread of loans. To do this, you can go into the “loans for sale” market. All loans bought in this market also qualify for IFISA tax benefits.
Risk: Security, Access, Yield
Do consider not just the return, but the security and the ease of access to your investment. We write regularly about these three key factors. Here’s one of several earlier articles on security, access and yield.