Crowdfunding is generally thought to have originated in the United States, with the first widely acknowledged usage of the term coming in 2006 from a failed attempt to raise funds for a video project.
European crowdfunding is catching up with the US. According to a report from Cambridge Judge Business School at Cambridge University, the European crowdfunding market grew by 144 per cent in 2014, up from E1,211 million in 2013 to E2975 at the end of 2014
The UK is the undisputed leader of the European alternative finance market, with E2,377 million of assets committed via online media.
France is the next largest market in Europe with E154 million in its online alternative finance industry.
Germany has the third-largest online alternative finance market in Europe overall, with E140 million, followed by Sweden with E107 million, Holland with E78 million and Spain with E62 million.
P2P consumer lending is the largest alternative finance market in Europe, excluding the UK, with E274.62 million in 2014.
P2P lending is the fastest-growing sector of crowdfunding.
P2P loans – the loans facilitated by Money&Co. – cannot currently be held in the tax-efficient New Individual Savings Account (ISA), which can accept cash and stocks and shares.But they will be eligible for inclusion in the new Ionnovatove Finance ISA, which becomes available in April 2016.