CredEx has developed a mobile app for loans in China; allows for borrowing of as much as RMB 300,000 (USD 43,000); the firm's business has been built around a focus on five factors including: mobile apps for loans, anytime access to borrowing and repayment, personalized interest rates, mobile internet risk control and uniquely connecting financial institutions with borrowers. Source
A report from WDZJ and yingcanzixun.com titled, "2016 China Online Lending Monthly Report (Nov.)" provides insight on China's online lending market in November; says online lending originations reached a new monthly high of CNY 200 billion in November; total historical origination volume of over CNY 3 trillion; 2,454 platforms with eight new businesses and 98 entering suspension or closing down. Source
China reported outstanding P2P loans of Rmb 920 billion ($133.5 billion) at the end of March, according to data from Wangdaizhijia; the March data shows resiliency in the industry despite new requirements for P2P lenders and caps on lending from regulators; P2P platforms have been steadily decreasing following the industry's reform, with approximately 2,281 platforms in March; yields on P2P loans have also been trending lower, with the average yield at 9.4% in March. Source
Shadow banking in China increased to 58 trillion yuan which is more than 80% of GDP, according to a report from Moody's; total social financing has now risen to an estimated 220% of GDP; Moody's says light regulation in the nonbank sector is a concern and the new regulations proposed by the government are needed to help manage risk and keep the business from causing major liquidity problems for the broad market. Source
Ant Fortune is the wealth management app for Ant Financial; Fortune is launching “4S” on its wealth management app; solution will use artificial intelligence to help investors allocate capital if they are not sure where it’s most appropriate to invest; aimed to better serve less sophisticated, smaller investors in China; Source
Chen Wei accumulated losses of over 489,400 yuan ($71,154) from lending platform Jiedaibao, operated by Renrenxing; the Chinese platform facilitated transactions between borrowers and lenders, allowing lenders to set their own interest rates and manage their own credit lending strategies; Renrenxing managed oversight of the platform including responsibility for collections; Chen's strategy was to borrow from platform lenders at low rates and lend to borrowers at higher rates, benefiting from the difference; Chen initially reported success but then increased borrower defaults led to losses of over 489,400 yuan ($71,154); Chen was subpoenaed by Jiedaibao for the funds he owed; Jiedaibao later dropped the case but Chen is now suing Renrenxing for the money owed from borrowers; more than 30 users have now filed court cases against Renrenxing for payments totaling over 22.5 million yuan ($3.27 million); new regulations have now been instituted to stop intermediaries from offering protection against losses. Source
Qudian, a financial firm that started as microlender Qufenqi, is sending signals of a possible 2017 IPO, according to Seeking Alpha; according to the reporting, Qudian has hired a foreign CFO and an investment bank, both typical developments for a company looking to go public within the next year; while the company originally focused on small student loans for items like computers or books, they now have broadened their scope and are a consumer lender; loan sizes are still small, about 1,000 yuan ($150) each, but they are on pace for close to $5.5 billion in total originations this year. Source
Ppdai is reportedly looking to a US IPO and plans to raise $200 million; it would be the second lender to do so after Yirendai in 2015 who raised $75 million; the company was founded in 2007 and offers unsecured loans. Source
Chinese regulators raided over 40 companies in China to investigate for illegal activities pertaining to the country's newly disseminated laws; investigators found property agents listing homes that owners had not agreed to sell and providing false information about properties; with a focus on real estate property investing, the investigators also found P2P lenders offering down payment loans after they were recently restricted by regulators. Source
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) will use Borrowell's technology to offer loans to their existing clients with one click of a button; the loans can be up to $35,000, involve a streamlined online application and will be funded within 24 hours; they will only be offered to a select group of CIBC clients to start; David Williamson, Group Head of Retail and Business Banking, CIBC, says, "Our partnership with Borrowell is based on our shared view that the process for borrowing money for personal banking clients could be improved in the digital age, while retaining all of the prudent risk management criteria you would expect from a major bank." Source