42244 2 3 econsultancy_xml <p>Zopa, which launched two years ago in the UK, says it has around 175,000 users -roughly one third of which are lenders. </p> <p> <a href="/blog/945-zopa-takes-12-4m-for-us-expansion">It recently received a £6.6m investment</a> from Bessemer Venture Partners, Benchmark Capital and Wellington Partners, and has long been expected to make the move over the Atlantic. </p> <p>P2P lending is a growing market Stateside - according to <a href="http://www.onlinebankingreport.com/resources/news_detail.html?eid=41&amp;PHPSESSID=200712030302261314020542">Online Banking Report</a>, Prosper and Lending Club loaned out a combined $100m this year. It predicts the market will be worth $1bn by 2010. </p> <p>Virgin Money USA differs from other P2P lending sites as it concentrates on enabling loans between family and friends. </p> <p>Prosper and <a href="/blog/1742-lending-club-expands-beyond-facebook">Lending Club</a> facilitate unsecured loans between strangers. </p> <p> <strong>Related stories:</strong> <br /> <a href="/blog/561-internet-social-lending-may-threaten-banks">Internet social lending 'may threaten banks'</a> </p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph>Zopa, which launched two years ago in the UK, says it has around 175,000 users -roughly one third of which are lenders. </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Link URL="/blog/945-zopa-takes-12-4m-for-us-expansion" Window="Self">It recently received a £6.6m investment</Link> from Bessemer Venture Partners, Benchmark Capital and Wellington Partners, and has long been expected to make the move over the Atlantic. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>P2P lending is a growing market Stateside - according to <Link URL="http://www.onlinebankingreport.com/resources/news_detail.html?eid=41&amp;PHPSESSID=200712030302261314020542" Window="Self">Online Banking Report</Link>, Prosper and Lending Club loaned out a combined $100m this year. It predicts the market will be worth $1bn by 2010. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Virgin Money USA differs from other P2P lending sites as it concentrates on enabling loans between family and friends. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Prosper and <Link URL="/blog/1742-lending-club-expands-beyond-facebook" Window="Self">Lending Club</Link> facilitate unsecured loans between strangers. </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Related stories:</Emphasis> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/561-internet-social-lending-may-threaten-banks" Window="Self">Internet social lending 'may threaten banks'</Link> </Paragraph> </FormattedContent> 2007-12-03T10:38:00+00:00 2 1 econsultancy_xml <p> <strong>P2P lending site Zopa is set to launch in the US this week, where it will compete with firms like Prosper and CircleLending, recently rebranded as Virgin Money USA. </strong> </p> <p>Zopa's US version will <a href="http://www.centernetworks.com/zopa-gets-us-launch-ready-social-finance-lending">differ from its UK site</a> as investors will have their funds 'federally insured', instead of spreading their risk by loaning small amounts to multiple borrowers. </p> <p>This guarantee, the firm hopes, will allow it to attract capital quickly as it is not something competing P2P sites currently offer.</p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>P2P lending site Zopa is set to launch in the US this week, where it will compete with firms like Prosper and CircleLending, recently rebranded as Virgin Money USA. </Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Zopa's US version will <Link URL="http://www.centernetworks.com/zopa-gets-us-launch-ready-social-finance-lending" Window="Self">differ from its UK site</Link> as investors will have their funds 'federally insured', instead of spreading their risk by loaning small amounts to multiple borrowers. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>This guarantee, the firm hopes, will allow it to attract capital quickly as it is not something competing P2P sites currently offer.</Paragraph> </FormattedContent> false 1993 364691 Zopa set for US launch false 2007-12-03T11:27:00+00:00 zopa-set-for-us-launch 2009-04-28T23:02:21+01:00 2009-04-28T23:02:21+01:00 180