Business frequented the platforms – Newspaper Kommersant No. 233 (7434) dated 12/15/2022

The crowdlending market continues to break records in terms of issuing loans, although the pace is losing to mid-year indicators. At the end of 2022, the volume of issuance may reach 11.5 billion rubles, and double next year, market participants believe. However, the restraining factors remain the cautious behavior of borrowers, who have reduced the average size of borrowings and regulatory restrictions.

Despite the achievement of a new record volume of fundraising in the crowdlending market, the growth of this segment slowed down by the end of the year. According to Money Friends, at the end of November 2022, the volume of loans issued exceeded RUB 1.22 billion, only 2.7% higher than in October. In October, the market growth amounted to 15% in monthly comparison. The failure in growth rates over the past six months was only in September (against the background of the announced partial mobilization). In the summer months, the market increased by an average of more than 18%.

Market growth was not accompanied by an increase in the average volume of borrowings. This indicator returned to the values ​​of two months ago against the backdrop of an increase in the increase in the number of transactions. In November, 729 transactions were concluded on crowdlending sites, exceeding the October figure by 15%.

Companies also confirm the decrease in the average check. “This is due both to the tightening of the platforms’ lending policy and the behavior of borrowers – they began to raise money much more carefully, to a lesser extent than before, against future growth or just “in reserve,” says Potok CEO Yuri Popov.

Nevertheless, the growth of the market will continue in December, the Association of Investment Platform Operators (AIIP) is sure. According to Yuri Kolesnikov, a member of the expert council of the State Duma Committee on the Financial Market, the total amount of loans issued in December will reach 1.6 billion rubles.

As in other segments of the financial market, the crowdlending market fears an increase in delinquency. However, according to the executive director of AOIP Kirill Kosminsky, at the moment, the level of delay in individual players does not exceed 10% of portfolios. The average overdue rate for the platforms included in the AIIP is about 3%.

Timur Ksenz, CEO of Money Friends, estimates the share of overdue loans at 5% of portfolios and 3% of loans. “The NPL15+ indicator in May reached a peak of 1.8%: the growth was mainly due to the fact that many borrowers worked with Europe and were forced to rebuild the chains,” says Roman Khoroshev, CEO of JetLend. Now this figure has returned to the level of 0.66%.

Companies look at 2023 with optimism — market growth forecasts vary from 50% to “reach the threshold of 20 billion rubles.” (according to the results of this year – 11.5 billion rubles). “Small and medium-sized businesses need money to replenish working capital,” says Yuri Kolesnikov. At the same time, according to him, the delay next year will remain at a rate of 3-4%. However, a number of factors will constrain the potential of the market. In addition to the decline in investment activity amid the crisis, Mr. Khoroshev notes, the main constraint on growth will be the fact that investment site operators are not tax agents.

Polina Trifonova