Across Europe, peer-to-business (P2B) lending has emerged as an attractive way for businesses to raise capital, benefiting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular by offering faster approval processes, diverse funding sources, and access to capital that may be out of reach through traditional banking channels.
P2B lending is a form of alternative financing that connects investors with businesses in need of capital. Unlike traditional bank loans, P2B lending platforms allow individuals to directly invest in business loans, providing businesses with more accessible and flexible funding options.
In Europe, P2B is especially relevant as many businesses continue to face challenges in securing finance from traditional lenders.
According to a 2023 report by the European Investment Fund, 24% of Euro area SMEs faced severe access-to-finance issues in the first half of 2023. German insurance firm Allianz estimates the SME bank loan financing gap in the Eurozone at 3% of gross domestic product (GDP), equivalent to EUR 400 billion, in 2019.
Today, we look at some of the largest and most prominent P2B lending providers in Continental Europe. These platforms connect loans issued by lending companies across the region with private investors seeking alternative investment opportunities and portfolio diversification.
These companies have reached notable scale and influence, offering a large range of loans for investors to choose from, including business, consumers loans, as well as real estate loans, while providing SMEs with easier access to capital, faster approval, as well as greater flexibility in loan products.
Top P2B Lending Providers from Continental Europe:
Mintos
Mintos is a prominent player in the European P2B lending market, focusing on facilitating regular passive income through diversified investment opportunities. The company provides a digital platform for investors to access a broad spectrum of income-generating assets, including agricultural loans, business loans, car loans, mortgage loans, personal loans, invoice financing, and more. Investors can participate through both automated and manual investment strategies, providing flexibility and control over their portfolios.
These investment opportunities are provided in collaboration with various lending companies across Europe and beyond, which issue these loans. Mintos then converts these loans into financial instruments called Notes, which are offered on the Mintos platform.
Established in 2014 and headquartered in Riga, Minto has rapidly grown to become one of the largest investment platforms of its kind of Europe, managing over EUR 600 million in assets under management (AUM) for more than 500,000 registered users. The company claims EUR 11.1 billion in total loans funded on its platform, with personal loans making up the lion’s share, followed by business loans and invoice financing.
PeerBerry
Another leading investment platform for passive income in Europe is PeerBerry. The company, which is based in Croatia, strives to help individuals achieve financial stability and a better lifestyle through strategic investments. It does so by providing a platform that connects investors with loan originators from various countries.
This platform features an intuitive, user-friendly interface and cutting-edge investment tools, making it accessible to both individuals and companies looking to diversify their portfolios. One key tool available on PeerBeery is Auto-Invest, a feature which allows investors to create investment strategies that automatically invest according to their chosen criteria.
Like Mintos, PeerBerry partners with several loan originators to provide loans for investors to back. These partners include Gofingo, which specializes in consumer and business loans, and Lithome, a real estate developer that also offer offers. Investment opportunities available on PeerBerry include short-term and long-term private consumer loans, leasing loans for vehicle purchases, real estate loans for development projects, and business loans that support ventures such as renewable energy initiatives.
PeerBerry was founded in 2017 by Aventus Group, one of the largest non-banking lending groups operating in European, Asian, and African countries since 2009. Its strong ties to Aventus Group have contributed to its stability and credibility, allowing it to experienced remarkable growth. As of February 2025, PeerBeery’s outstanding portfolio stood at nearly EUR 117 million in February 2025, with real estate loans comprising 43% of the total and business loans accounting for 24%. Since its inception, nearly EUR 3 billion has been invested through the platform.
Viainvest
Viainvest is a digital platform that allows users to invest in asset-backed securities (ABS) backed by loans originated by non-banking lenders, VIA SMS Group, its subsidiaries, and related companies. This platform is designed to simplify the investment process while maintaining a high level of transparency and support, providing private investors with an easy and regulated way to invest in ABS linked to loans.
Borrowers request funding from the VIA SMS Group and its daughter companies. Loans from each loan originator are combined into pools of loans. After the securitization process, all securities linked to a certain pool of loans are published on the Viainvest platform with the same ISIN (International Securities Identification Number provided by Nasdaq Riga). This makes them available for investment, and allows users to easily invest in specific pools of loans according to their financial strategy and risk tolerance.
As of the latest figures, Viainvest has funded loans totaling more than EUR 557 million and paid out EUR 15 million in interest to investors, reflecting its strong performance and investor appeal. The platform boasts a total count of registered customers of than 1.6 million.
Viainvest is regulated by the Central Bank of Latvia and operates across seven countries in Europe and Asia, with its headquarters in Riga. Founded in 2009, Viainvest is a part of VIA SMS Group, a financial services provider operating across Europe and Asia.
Twino
Twino is another prominent investment platform in Europe that aims to democratize investing. The company provides a digital platform that gives users access to lending opportunities, including consumer, business and real estate loans.
This platform is designed to offer high-yield opportunities with robust investor protection and a user-friendly experience, making it a trusted choice for both new and experienced investors. Like its European counterparts, it comes with an Auto-Invest tool that automates the investment process, allowing users to set preferences and passively grow their portfolios.
Twino selects investment opportunities through a rigorous credit risk assessment process. First, borrowers apply for loans on Twino’s loan originators websites. Twino evaluates the creditworthiness of each applicant using a combination of application information, existing liabilities, and hundreds of individual data points. If the borrower qualifies, Twino grants the loan, and then sends it to its investment platform where investors can fund it.
Twino’s strategic focus on accessibility and financial inclusion has also enabled it to expand its reach globally. Since launching its lending operations in Latvia in 2009, the company has expanded to several international markets, including Poland, Georgia, Denmark, Spain, Kazakhstan, and Vietnam.
Twino claims it has originated over EUR 1 billion in unsecured consumer loans and has more than 58,000 registered investors.
CG24
CG24 is one of Switzerland’s largest marketplace lending platforms. The platform offers borrowers the opportunity to take out personal, real estate, and business loans, while providing private and institutional investors with the opportunity to invest in these financings.
CG24 uses state-of-the-art technologies to streamline the loan process, ensuring efficiency and transparency. This allows borrowers to benefit from flexible, fast and low-cost loans with transparent pricing and repayment terms, including amortization and bullet lending. Borrowers also benefit from a simple and straightforward loan review process. Investors, meanwhile, have the opportunity to invest in various credit projects with different risk and return profiles.
The platform supports the security of investors through strict and elaborate risk assessment. Borrowers undergo a strict underwriting process, and additional features like payment protection insurance and portfolio diversification further enhance net returns.
Launched in March 2015, CG24 specializes in personal, real estate, and business loans. Since its launch, the platform claims it has disbursed over CHF 1 billion in loans.
Featured image credit: edited from freepik
