Mexico – Passive income

The first loan originator from Mexico has launched on Mintos p2p lending marketplace

By MPI23rd May 2018News, Peer-to-Peer Lendingalternative finance, Credilikeme, invest, Mexican peso, Mexico, Mintos, MXN, peer-to-peer lending, personal loans

The Mintos peer-to-peer lending marketplace is continuing to expand rapidly and they launch the first loan originator from Mexico offering loans for investment in Mexican peso (MXN). Credilikeme is one of the most innovative loan originators in Mexico, offering personal loans to Mexican citizens online and through its immersive mobile app which uses gamification features. The company offers investors the chance to invest in its personal loans from Mexico listed in MXN with expected net annual returns of 16%.

Credilikeme was established in 2012 and has issued more than 35 000 loans since then. The company is completely online and issues loans through its website and mobile app. Credilikeme prides itself on its unique business model and aims to provide a lifestyle-like experience with its mobile app.

“Partnerships between fintech companies is all about creating value for the industry. Mintos and Credilikeme are both important parts of the credit distribution value chain. Our partnership is all about liberating loan distribution and underwriting in Mexico, so we can give access to our borrowers and have a positive impact on their lives,” said Jorge Enriquez, Co-founder and CEO of Credilikeme.

Mexico-issued loans on Mintos from Credilikeme range from around MXN 3 700 to 19 000. The repayment period ranges from one to seven months and borrowers repay their loans in fortnightly instalments. You can expect a yearly net return of up to 16%.

The company will maintain 20% of each loan placed on Mintos on its balance sheet to keep its skin in the game, as well as only offer loans from repeat borrowers who have proven to be reliable in meeting their payment deadlines on the marketplace. All loans from Credilikeme come with a buyback guarantee, so loans that may become delinquent after 60 days or more will be bought back by the company.

The typical borrower of Credilikeme is a Mexican citizen aged between 21 and 45. They usually take out a loan for emergency expenses or working capital for a business.

As of February 2018, the company has distributed MXN 100 million (around EUR 4.5 million) worth of loans since its inception. In the past year, it had a revenue of MXN 11 million (around EUR 493 000). The company had an outstanding net loan portfolio of MXN 4.8 million (EUR 215 000) as of January 2018. Credilikeme is backed by well-known companies as investors, including Grupo Kaluz, a large banking and industrial group with operations in Mexico and Credito Real, one of Mexico’s largest offline payroll lenders.

According to the Americas Alternative Finance Industry Report, Mexico accounted for the highest total alternative finance market volume in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2016 (USD 114.2 million). Mexico was the third most active country in this region, following Chile and Brazil and has an annual growth rate of 730%. Marketplace and P2P Business Lending was the largest section of the alternative finance industry in Mexico.

ID Finance announces the launch of Mexico operations

ID Finance, the emerging markets fintech company, has expanded its presence in Latin America with a launch into the Mexican online lending market. The announcement comes less than a year after the company launched operations in Brazil and represents another key milestone as it continues its aggressive global expansion. Boris Batine, Co-founder and CEO at ID Finance, stated:

“It is an exciting time to be expanding our footprint in LatAm and we see enormous potential for online lending in Mexico. It is an important step towards becoming the number one alternative lender in the region.”

ID Finance explained that with a population of 127 million and 61percent of adults lacking a bank account according to World Bank, Mexico represents one of the largest opportunities for fintech in Latin America. Mexico’s low bank branch coverage – 14 branches per 100,000 inhabitants compared to 33 in the US – together with an underdeveloped transport infrastructure further exacerbates the need for fintech services. Yannick del Ponte, Country Manager at ID Finance Mexico, commented:

“The growth in internet usage and smartphone penetration is creating an enormous opportunity for fintechs. ID Finance’s unique scoring technology gives us a significant advantage over the competition while our Moneyman online lending product will bring much needed simplicity and transparency for consumers here in Mexico.”

ID Finance went on to note that Mexico is expected to have 91.6m active internet users by 2021 and 75.4m smartphone users by 2022. Proposed government reforms centred on financial inclusion, and upcoming regulatory changes are driving development of the sector.

ID Finance was founded in Russia in 2012 and has rapidly expanded into Kazakhstan, Georgia, Poland, Spain, Brazil and now Mexico. The company posted 82 percent revenue growth for the first half of 2017 and has 3.8 million registered customers. It issues over 60,000 loans each month with monthly revenue of $15 million.