CreditGate24 is an online peer-to-peer lending platform that connects borrowers with investors. Borrowers benefit from a quick and easy credit application, greater flexibility, lower interest rate, and a simpler and more straightforward credit check process than with traditional financial institutions.

It took the company over a year to develop the platform which launched in March 2015. CreditGate24 Schweiz AG, based in Ruschlikon/Zurich, specializes in the personal loans and the SME financing segments. The company runs a highly automated platform connecting borrowers with private and institutional investors, offering an efficient and scalable settlement of loans. CreditGate24 operates strictly online, which allows the company to minimize the costs for users.

CreditGate24 seeks to distinguish itself by consistent ratings and interest rates, a strict credit check based on classic credit assessment methods, Big Data analysis, the insurance and the solidarity agreement. Furthermore, the anonymity of borrowers and lenders are guaranteed.

It utilizes risk-pooling by way for a solidarity agreement, which allows each individual investor to be minimally affected by a loan default and get the expected return to be secured. Furthermore, in the case of death, the residual debt balance (up to CHF 100,000) is insured by Generali for all rating categories.

In an email statement CreditGate24 claimed that they financed 100 credit-project in the first year and in total 310 until end of November (within 20 months) with zero loss.

Most anyone can invest money over the platform (investors with certain countries of residence are excluded for juridical reasons, e.g. USA). However, they have a strong focus on investors domiciled in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Investors need to be at least 18 years old and have a valid Swiss bank account. CreditGate24 operates under the Swiss Money Laundering Law. A minimum investment of CHF 500 per loan project is required.

The company earns money by charging borrowers an annual fee of 0.6% – 0.8% per annum of the loan amount which is deducted from the pay out amount. Investors pay a fee of 1% on every monthly installment paid back by the borrower.

CreditGate24 is an official partner of Hypothekarbank Lenzburg, providing the bank with its platform for clients who wish to apply for personal loans. The partnership was established “in the best interest of customers,” who can directly benefit from low interest rates and flexible solutions. This partnership is the first official partnership with a bank in Switzerland

“The credit underwriting process of CreditGate24 meets current industry standard in the lending business,” said Marianne Wildi, CEO of Hypothekarbank Lenzburg. “We therefore recommend CreditGate24 to our customers – both for borrowers and for lenders.”

CreditGate24 is regulated by the Financial Services Standards Association (VQF), and is a member of the ZEK (Verein zur Führung einer Zentralstelle für Kreditinformationen) and the IKO (Verein zur Führung einer Informationsstelle für Konsumkredit).

CreditGate24 is one of the peer-to-peer lending platforms that emerged in Switzerland in recent years alongside Cashare, creditworld, Lend, splendit and swisspeers.

In 2015, CHF 27.3 million was raised for 1,342 campaigns in Switzerland, according to the Institute of Financial Services Zug IFZ.

Peer-to-peer lending saw the highest growth from 2014 to 2015, reaching CHF 7.9 million – a +127% rise.

According to the annual Crowdfunding Monitoring Switzerland report, 2016 is expected to see at least a doubling of sums raised in the Swiss crowdfunding market, driven, in particular, by lending to SMEs and real estate crowdfunding.

Real estate crowdfunding platforms that are based in Switzerland include Stoneclub and Crowdhouse.ch.