Cryptos, Blockchain And The Next AltFi Wave – Plus Loan Latest

There’s a lot of nonsense and hype surrounding cryptocurrencies and its underlying blockchain technology. But there’s also a sensible way ahead – probably involving asset-linked digital tokens using blockchain. These securities (they will be regulated as such) are the coming fashionable wave in alternative finance. We believe they may prove more durable than many cryptocurrencies.

Our friends at Crowdfundinsider report the latest moves in this area.

The Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance is the main actor.

The 2017 CCAF Blockchain report reviewed how both public sector entities and private enterprise are pursuing Blockchain or Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). The authors captured data from more than 200 central banks, corporations, startups and other public sector institutions.

This year’s benchmarking report is being segmented into three different areas:

  • Blockchain Operators & Users – The purpose of the survey is to collect information on the level of adoption of blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) in an enterprise setting
  • Central Bank & Public Sector Blockchain – The purpose of this survey is to help officials understand how blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) systems are being developed and used in the public sector across all five continents.
  • Blockchain Vendors Survey -The purpose of the survey is to collect information about permissioned platforms built on blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT), as well as software and technology vendors that is useful to a wide group of stakeholders. With this research we are aiming to collect useful benchmarking data while not exposing any trade secrets or security practices that could assist a competitor or adversary.

Loan Latest

Our latest loan offering is A-rated and property-backed with a fixed-rate yield of 8 per cent, and a term of five years. It’s proving popular, and is currently 63 per cent filled. Our lenders have achieved average returns of over 8 per cent on the more than £12 million facilitated by Money&Co. in the past four years. All loans on site are eligible to be held in a Money&Co. Innovative Finance Individual Savings Account (ISA), up to the annual ISA limit of £20,000. Such loans offer lenders tax-free income.

A Process Guide To Innovative Finance ISA Investment

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:

  • Step 1: Register as a lender. Go to the login page, and go through the process that the law requires us to effect. This means we have to do basic checks on you to comply with money-laundering and other security requirements.
  • Step 2: Put money into your account. This is best done by electronic transfer. We can also process paper cheques drawn in favour of Denmark Square Limited, the parent company of Money&Co.
  • Step 3: Buy loans in the loan market. Once you’ve put cash in your account it will sit there – and it won’t earn interest until you’ve bought a piece of a loan. It’s this final step that requires lenders and IFISA investors to be pro-active. Just choose some loans – all loans on the Money&Co. site can be held in an IFISA – and your money will start earning tax-free interest.

The ISA allowance for 2018/19 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.



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Disclaimer: Money&Co.™ is the trading name of Denmark Square Limited, Company Number 08561817, registered in England & Wales, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The company is identified on the Financial Services Register under Reference Number 727325. The registered office is 58 Glentham Road, Barnes, London, SW13 9JJ where the register of Directors may be inspected. Denmark Square Limited (ISA manager reference number Z1932) manages the Money&Co. Innovative Finance ISA.