Lendermarket Review 2026

Last Update: 14 August 2026

Key Takeaways

Lendermarket is a P2P platform registered in Ireland. Founded in 2016 by the Creditstar Group, operational since June 2019. Investors can invest in international consumer loans and earn an advertised average return of 15.5%.
Since December 2024, Lendermarket is licensed as a crowdfunding service provider under EU regulation. Investor funds have since been held in segregated accounts. The long-standing pending payments were fully settled in October 2025.
The platform is currently not profitable. In 2024, a loss of EUR 300,000 was recorded. Accumulated losses now total around EUR 1.5 million.
Creditstar loans can significantly restrict liquidity through extension periods of up to 180 days. There is no secondary market. The dependency on the Creditstar Group remains a structural risk.
Lendermarket
★★★★★ ★★★★★ (3)
New Investor Bonus

New investors receive 1.5% cashback on their net invested funds during the first 90 days after registration. The bonus is credited within five business days after the period ends.

Skin in the Game

I have never been invested in Lendermarket with my own funds. My assessment of this platform is neutral, so I neither recommend nor advise against investing here.

My Portfolio

What is Lendermarket?

Lendermarket-review-2025

Lendermarket is an Ireland-based P2P platform that was founded in June 2016 by the Creditstar Group. Since its operational launch in April 2019, investors on Lendermarket have been able to invest in a wide range of international consumer loans, with an advertised average return of 15.5%.

A particularly notable feature of Lendermarket is the high return expectations, driven by above-average interest rates and various bonus campaigns.

The majority of loans on Lendermarket come from the Creditstar Group, an Estonian fintech company that encompasses a variety of internationally active lenders.

In its early years, Lendermarket was used exclusively as a financing source for Creditstar Group’s lending operations. In May 2022, the first external lender was added, following the decision to transform the platform into a P2P lending marketplace.

Lendermarket at a Glance

All key facts and figures about Lendermarket at a glance.

Founded / Startet: June 2016 / June 2019
Legal Name: Lendermarket Limited (LINK)
Headquarter: Dublin, Ireland
Regulated: Yes (ECSPR License)
CEO: Carles Federico (September 2023)
Assets Under Management: EUR 60+ million
Number of Investors: 30,000+
Expected Return: 15.6%
Risk Score: 5.2 / 10 (Rank 19 of 29) | View Methodology
Primary Loan Type: Consumer Loans
Collateral: Buyback Guarantee

Business Model

How does Lendermarket make money? Lendermarket generates its revenue through a variable brokerage fee, which is charged to lenders in exchange for financing via the P2P marketplace.

The amount depends on the volume of loans financed and can range between 2% and 5%. The exact fee also varies based on the borrower’s country and the type of loans the lender offers.

Lendermarket News

P2P lending is a dynamic asset class where investors should stay continuously informed. You will find the latest news on Lendermarket on my P2P lending news page, where I cover other P2P platforms as well.

04. August 2026
Lendermarket Reduces Exit Fee for Auto Invest FLEX

Starting on 16 August 2026, Lendermarket will adjust the exit fee for Auto Invest FLEX. Instead of the previous fee of 50% of the annual interest rate, a flat fee of 3.5% of the amount paid out will apply going forward. Based on the invested capital, the effective fee will therefore decrease, according to the platform, from the previous 5.25% to 6.25% range to a uniform 3.5%.

28. May 2026
Flowpay: 11% for SME Loans on Lendermarket

With Flowpay, Lendermarket has added a new loan originator to its marketplace. The company, founded in 2021, focuses on SME financing solutions in the CEE region. On Lendermarket, Flowpay loans are offered with interest rates of up to 11%, maturities of up to 12 months, and a buyback guarantee.

One highlighted aspect is that Flowpay’s risk assessment is based on an AI-driven model. The underlying database reportedly includes more than 30,000 companies and over 1,000 data points per borrower. In this context, performance metrics regarding the historical quality of the loan portfolio would have been particularly interesting. However, such data has not been disclosed.

What can be assessed, however, is the financial stability of the loan originator. The low debt ratio (0.95) can be highlighted positively, as well as the fact that the company has been profitable over the past two years, albeit on a small scale. On the other hand, the equity ratio is extremely low (4.7%), portfolio quality metrics are missing, and all published financial statements are unaudited.

Personal Opinion: Compared to the risk-return profiles of other Lendermarket loan originators, Flowpay would currently rank rather low in terms of attractiveness.

Alternatively, you can subscribe to my Telegram channel or WhatsApp group (both free of charge) to receive real-time updates as soon as new developments emerge.


Shareholder and Management

Who are the main shareholders and management executives behind Lendermarket? Let’s have a look!

Lendermarket Shareholder

who-owns-lendermarket

Who owns Lendermarket? The P2P platform “Lendermarket Limited” is fully owned by “SA Financial Investments OÜ“. This is an Estonian holding company to which a total of 18 companies belong.

Its owner and ultimate beneficiary is Aaro Sosaar, who is also the CEO and main shareholder of Creditstar Group.

He holds a university degree in banking and international finance. He describes himself as an entrepreneur and investor in financial services and technology.

Lendermarket Management

Lendermarket-review-ceo-changeIn September 2023, Carles Federico was introduced as the new CEO of the Lendermarket P2P platform. Carles is an experienced manager in sales and finance who previously worked for the Creditstar Group between September 2015 and April 2021. As a result, the often emphasized independence of Lendermarket from its largest lender can be seriously questioned.

Currently, around 15 to 20 employees work directly at Lendermarket. According to the platform, no operational support is provided by the Creditstar Group. On this page, investors can get an overview of the P2P platform’s team members.


Sign Up

In order to invest on Lendermarket, investors must meet three requirements:

  • Minimum age of 18 years
  • Residence in the European Economic Area or Switzerland
  • European bank account in the specified name.

The registration process is pretty simple and intuitive. After opening an account with an email address, users must complete the KYC (Know-Your-Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) questionnaires. This is followed by identity verification and providing the tax residency information.

Legal entities also have the option to register with Lendermarket.

Lendermarket Bonus

If Lendermarket’s profile appeals to you, you can receive an additional investment bonus for the platform via this blog.

Lendermarket
★★★★★ ★★★★★ (3)
New Investor Bonus

New investors receive 1.5% cashback on their net invested funds during the first 90 days after registration. The bonus is credited within five business days after the period ends.

A platform overview with all bonus offers and cashback promotions can be found on the bonus page.


Investing on Lendermarket

How does Lendermarket work and what should investors know and consider when investing on the plaform? In the following sections of my Lendermarket review you will find all the necessary information that you need.

Loan Offering

In 2022, Lendermarket completed its transformation into a P2P marketplace. As a result, it no longer finances loans exclusively from Creditstar Group companies, but also from external lenders.

“[..] a decision was made to become a separate and independent platform, and start offering fundraising and liquidity for non-banking lending companies globally.”

Below is a brief overview of the profiles of the current lenders on Lendermarket:

  • Creditstar Group: Founder and driving force behind the Lendermarket platform. Established in Estonia in 2006, Creditstar is a profitable and internationally active financial company. Subsidiaries of the Creditstar Group are regulated in eight countries where the company offers its lending services. Investors are offered a group buyback guarantee to secure the obligations of the individual lenders within the group.
  • Dineo: On Lendermarket since May 2023. The lender provides consumer loans to private individuals ranging from EUR 50 to EUR 600, with interest rates between 10% and 15% for short-term loans of up to 90 days. The loans are secured with both a 60-day buyback guarantee and the group buyback guarantee.
  • RapiCredit: On Lendermarket since November 2023. One of the largest microfinance fintechs in Colombia, founded in 2014. Consumer loans to private individuals are offered on Lendermarket with interest rates of up to 18%, for terms of up to 180 days. Buyback guarantee applies after 60 days of payment delay.
  • Credifiel: On Lendermarket since August 2024. A Mexico-based lender that is active since 2006. The lender primarily provides private consumer loans. Interest rates go up to 12%, with loan terms of up to 37 months. Loans are covered by a 60-day buyback guarantee. Credifiel is also present on Mintos.

Lendermarket-Review-P2P-Loans

Costs and Fees

Lendermarket charges a 3.5% fee if loans are sold before the end of their maturity via Auto Invest FLEX. Apart from that, no additional costs or fees apply for investors on Lendermarket. There are no account maintenance fees, deposit or withdrawal fees, or fees for investing on the Primary Market.

Expected Returns

Lendermarket offers above-average interest rates across the P2P market. According to the platform, the expected average return is 15.5%, with some individual loans having offered interest rates of up to 19%.

Auto Invest 

On Lendermarket, investors can use Auto Invest to allocate their funds. This means investors can set predefined criteria, which an algorithm then uses when assigning new loans. As a result, investments on Lendermarket can be managed passively.

Selectable criteria include the lender, minimum and maximum amount per loan, interest rate, and loan term. Alternatively, investors can choose from predefined Auto Invest strategies, which differ in terms of interest rates and loan durations.

Lendermarket-Review-Auto-Invest

A secondary market, where loans can be sold before maturity, does not yet exist on Lendermarket.

Auto Invest FLEX

Auto Invest FLEX is a more flexible version of Lendermarket’s standard Auto Invest. Unlike the classic Auto Invest, it allows investors to request an early exit, enabling part or all of their portfolio to be liquidated before the underlying loans reach maturity.

The early exit is facilitated through so-called “replacement funding”, meaning the loans must be financed by other investors. As a result, early withdrawals are entirely dependent on investor demand. If there is insufficient demand from other investors, the loans cannot be sold before maturity. If the loans are successfully sold, Lendermarket charges a flat fee of 3.5% of the amount paid out.

Buyback Guarantee

Similar to many other P2P platforms, Lendermarket promotes a loan protection mechanism in the form of a buyback guarantee.

This guarantee is triggered when a loan is more than 60 days overdue. The lender is then required to repurchase the loan in full, including both principal and accrued interest.

Lendermarket-Review-Buyback-Guarantee

However, there are occasional differences in the extension periods depending on the lender.

For example, with Creditstar, up to 6 extensions of 30 days each can occur. This means that a loan with an original term of 30 days could theoretically be repaid only 240 days later (60 days until the buyback guarantee is triggered + 180 days of possible extensions). Since there is no secondary market on Lendermarket, this can significantly limit liquidity for investors.

To date, the buyback guarantee has always been honored.


Lendermarket Taxes

Generally, interest income generated by loan financing is considered capital income and thus must be declared as such in the tax declaration. 

Unlike other platforms, Lendermarket does not withhold taxes through interest income such as in Latvia or Lithuania.

For the tax declaration, investors can select the “Account Statement” tab in the main menu, where a tax report for the respective year can be downloaded. This information can then be submitted to the relevant tax office as part of a tax return.


Lendermarket Risks

Investing in P2P loans carries many risks. Which risk factors should be considered with Lendermarket, and how should they be assessed?

Platform Risk

The Lendermarket platform, operated by the Irish company “Lendermarket Limited”, was founded in June 2016 whereas operations only launched in 2019. In its domestic market, the platform is supervised and monitored by the Irish Central Bank.

Safety Score
Rank 8 of 29
6.4 / 10 Medium Risk
Regulation and Licensing
15 / 15
Financial Stability
12 / 20
Transparency and Disclosure
15 / 15
Loan Portfolio and Investor Losses
20 / 25
Track Record and Crisis Behaviour
14 / 25
Red Flags -12
Cluster B: Misrepresentation & Lack of Transparency (-7)
Purchased Trustpilot reviews -7
Cluster C: Unilateral Contract Changes (-5)
Unilateral loan term extensions -5
The Safety Score assesses platform risk only. Lender risks and country-specific risks are not covered and must be evaluated separately.

Regulation and Licence

In December 2024, the Irish Central Bank approved the licence allowing Lendermarket to operate as a service provider under the European Crowdfunding Regulation (ECSP). This enables the platform to offer its services across the EU under a unified regulatory framework, without requiring a separate authorisation in each member state.

Unlike MiFID II-regulated platforms, investors have no entitlement to compensation through an investor compensation scheme. Loan defaults or a potential insolvency of loan originators are also not covered by the regulation.

The ECSP regulation does, however, prohibit platforms from listing projects connected to affiliated companies or insiders. Through its regulatory status, Lendermarket is also required to meet a high standard of compliance and transparency, including the publication of audited financial reports.

Segregation of Funds and Deposit Protection

The ECSP licence requires Lendermarket to maintain a strict separation between investor funds and the company’s own operating funds. For this purpose, the platform works with FIRE Financial Services, an e-money institution authorised by the FCA and regulated by the Irish Central Bank. This means that in the event of Lendermarket ceasing operations, investors retain full access to their funds and loan repayments can continue in an orderly manner.

Lendermarket-Review-Deposit-Insurance

Investments offered through Lendermarket are not covered by a national or European deposit guarantee scheme. Investors should therefore be aware that invested capital is subject to a real risk of loss, that returns are not guaranteed and that it may not be possible to recover the full amount invested.


Financial Stability

The financial stability of a P2P platform is a key risk factor. Is Lendermarket able to operate profitably? And how well is the company positioned financially?

Auditor: Azets Audit Services Ireland Limited

Regulated audit firm.

Standard: Irish GAAP (FRS 102)

Local standard, not internationally comparable.

Profitability

Lendermarket is currently not profitable. According to the financial figures for 2024, the P2P lending platform had to accept a loss of nearly EUR 300,000. While revenue has slightly increased to EUR 1.37 million, operating and administrative costs rose disproportionately.

As a result of this performance, accumulated losses have now added up to nearly EUR 1.5 million.

Lendermarket-Review-Profitability

On the positive side: A capital injection of approximately EUR 487,000 from the shareholders slightly improved the equity position. Cash reserves also increased by EUR 60,000.


Lender Risk

Lendermarket evaluates each of its lenders against several criteria. The platform also provides a public risk rating, in which loan originators are analyzed across four categories: transparency, legal environment, financial stability, and transactions.

Regardless of Lendermarket’s due diligence, investors should also review the financial statements of the respective lenders themselves, which are published on the platform. Below is a tabular overview of the current financial figures for each lender.

Loan Originator Year Audited Profit ROA Equity Ratio Debt Liquidity Impairments Score
Credifiel 2024 RSM Mexico EUR 7,09M 6,0% 35,8% 0,64 1,52 5,3% 92
Creditstar Group 2025 KPMG EUR 13,46M 3,0% 15,6% 5,4 0,4 9,7% 68 (57)
Dineo 2024 BNFIX Audit Auditores EUR 75K 0,2% 15,5% 0,85 1,84 22,5% 57
Flowpay 2024 Unaudited EUR 106K 5,3% 4,7% 0,95 1,05   39
RapiCredit (CO) 2024 Nexia Montes y Asociados EUR 486K 1,6% 19,9% 0,80 2,09 22,1% 65
RapiCredit (ES)                  

The lender overview and comparison page provides a detailed explanation of each evaluation criterion and guidance on how to interpret the figures.

Creditstar Repayments

Lendermarket has a history of repayment issues with loans from the Creditstar Group. One factor is the frequent use of extension periods, which can significantly limit investor liquidity.

Creditstar Group companies are not required to repay loans immediately after a 60-day delinquency under the buyback guarantee. Instead, they can extend the repayment six times, each for 30 days. For a loan with a 30-day term, this means it could potentially be repaid up to 240 days later (60 days until the buyback guarantee + 180 days of extension).

Lendermarket-Review-Pending-Payments

Another long-standing issue on the Lendermarket platform is the presence of Pending Payments.

Essentially, these are funds that are in the process of being transferred to the investor’s account. The reason behind this is that claims against the lenders are handled in batch processes, where investments and repayments are offset against each other, and only the net difference is transferred. As a result, investor payouts are shown as “Pending Payments” until the lender’s payment has actually been received.

Given the frequency and volume of Pending Payments, and taking into account the applied extension periods, it is difficult to dismiss the liquidity issues on the part of Creditstar companies. Additionally, the fact that investors can reinvest funds that have not yet been returned should also be seen as a critical point.

At least: In October 2025, the platform announced that all outstanding payments had been settled.


Advantages and Disadvantages

In this section, I have listed the most important advantages and disadvantages of Lendermarket.

Advantages
Track Record: Operational since 2019
Regulation: License holder under the EU Crowdfunding Regulation (ECSP)
Investor Funds: Legally supervised separation of investor and company funds
Portfolio Quality: Sustainably low default rate (< 5%)
Losses: No capital losses for investors on the platform to date
Auto Invest: Automated investment option available
Returns: Competitive interest rates in the P2P lending market
Parent Company: Supported by a large and established company (Creditstar)
Costs: No fees or costs for investors
Disadvantages
⚠️ Transparency: No or only unaudited financial reports available
⚠️ Liquidity: No secondary market or early exit option
⚠️ Profitability: Platform is currently not operating on a profitable level
⚠️ Conflicts of Interest: Shareholder overlaps between platform and lenders
⚠️ Extension Periods: Significant restriction of liquidity possible

Summary Lendermarket Review

Lendermarket is an Ireland-based P2P platform where investors can achieve above-average returns. In recent years though, investors had to pay a high price for these yields.

The platform operated in an unregulated environment, offered limited transparency in many areas, and liquidity was heavily constrained by extension periods and pending payments. In addition, management stability was lacking for years, and external communication also left room for improvement.

In recent years, however, a positive transformation can be observed. In December 2024, Lendermarket obtained a license from the Central Bank of Ireland to operate under the EU Crowdfunding Regulation. Pending payments have been settled, key management positions are now more stable, and transparency (though not yet perfect) has improved significantly.

Who should consider investing on the platform?

Investors seeking high returns from mature and profitable lenders such as Credifiel and Creditstar should consider Lendermarket as a good investment option. Those who prioritize liquidity more strongly should consider to join the Creditstar spin-off, Monefit SmartSaver, instead.

Lendermarket
★★★★★ ★★★★★ (3)
New Investor Bonus

New investors receive 1.5% cashback on their net invested funds during the first 90 days after registration. The bonus is credited within five business days after the period ends.


Lendermarket Alternatives

Already invested in Lendermarket? Or looking for similar platforms? Here are three Lendermarket alternatives from the P2P market.

Bondora: One of the oldest P2P platforms in Europe with a track record dating back to 2008. Similar to Lendermarket, Bondora is backed by its own parent company with long-standing experience in the lending business. Investors that appreciate the simplicity of Lendermarket will find a similarly straightforward investment product in Bondora Go & Grow, with the added benefit of daily liquidity. More information in my Bondora review.

Income Marketplace: An unregulated P2P marketplace headquartered in Estonia, which markets itself through innovative security features that are designed to protect investors from underperforming loan originators. Compared to Lendermarket, Income Marketplace offers a broader selection of international loan originators and an attractive combination of high interest rates and high liquidity. More information in my Income Marketplace review.

Monefit SmartSaver: An investment product of the Creditstar Group, the parent company behind Lendermarket. Headquartered in Estonia and conceptually very similar to Bondora Go & Grow. Investors that value the Creditstar connection but prefer a simpler and more liquid investment format will find an interesting alternative in Monefit SmartSaver, with daily availability. More information in my Monefit SmartSaver review.

You can find other Lendermarket alternatives on the P2P Platform Comparison page.


Affiliate Links / Conflict of InterestDisclaimer
This article contains affiliate links. If you register and/or invest through one of these links, the operator receives a commission. The compensation has no influence on the opinion or the evaluation of the platform. Potential conflicts of interest can be looked up on the “P2P Portfolio” page.
Investments in P2P loans involve risks and may result in the complete loss of the invested capital. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future developments. The following content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Despite careful research, no guarantee is given for the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information provided. No liability is accepted for any financial losses or investment decisions made based on the information presented here. For more details, see the full disclaimer.

FAQ Lendermarket Review

✅ What is Lendermarket?

Lendermarket is an Ireland based P2P platform founded in 2016 by the Creditstar Group, operational since June 2019. Investors can invest in international consumer loans with an advertised average return of 15.5%.

✅ Who owns Lendermarket?

Lendermarket is fully owned by SA Financial Investments OÜ, an Estonian holding company. Its owner and ultimate beneficial shareholder is Aaro Sosaar, also CEO and majority shareholder of the Creditstar Group.

✅ Is Lendermarket regulated?

Yes, since December 2024. The Central Bank of Ireland licensed Lendermarket as a crowdfunding service provider under EU Regulation 2020/1503. Investor funds are now held in segregated accounts, a significant improvement over previous years.

✅ What are Pending Payments on Lendermarket?

Pending Payments are investor funds temporarily unavailable during the transfer process. Between 2022 and 2024, this was a serious issue, with funds blocked for up to 720 days in some cases. In October 2025, the platform announced that all outstanding payments had been fully settled.

✅ How does Lendermarket make money?

Lendermarket earns revenue through a brokerage fee of 2% to 5%, charged to loan originators based on the volume financed through the platform. The platform is currently not profitable, posting a loss of just under €300,000 in 2024.

I’m Denny Neidhardt, the founder of re:think P2P. On this blog, I help retail investors make smarter, well-informed investment decisions in the world of P2P lending. Since 2019, I’ve been publishing in-depth analyses, platform reviews, and risk assessments to bring more transparency to this investment space. My goal is to challenge marketing claims, question developments, and empower investors with honest, independent insights.

8 comments

  1. Another addition to my previous comment:
    If you don’t take action, nothing happens with your pending payments. But, when you start questioning, they do take some action. I was told to submit a request for release of pending payments. Strange that I have to submit such a request. But I did, and as a result, this week I received about 80 Euro, of my 1600 Euro pending payments. Not much, but at least something, after a period of 5 months without any repayment. They promised further payments in december and january, without mentioning an amount.
    I proposed a deal: pay somewhat less then what they owe me, but pay it quickly. They refused.
    I also find it strange that they give 18% interest on pending payments, no matter what the original interest rate was. Good for investors, but with long delays, this only increases problems on their side. They don’t comment on this.
    I find it a strange platform, but I still do have hope to receive my money back.

  2. Please comment on their V2 platform, introduced about half a year ago. I feel the reasons for introducing this new version of the platform should be questioned. V1 still exists, with the old overdue loans. Till now it looks that V2 does not have the payment delays. They try to make investors believe that the problems on V1 are only technical, and V2 does not have these technical problems. I don’t believe that, I think they give priority to paying on V2, at the expense of old loans on V1. And I think over time, V2 will develop the same delays as V1. They tried to make me reinvest my V1 overdue loans to V2, by reinvesting pending payments. But this reinvesting is only possible with autoinvest, and these auto invested loans have a minimum term of 360 days. So then I even have to wait longer than waiting for the buy back procedure on V1. So I decided to stay an V1 with my overdue loans.

  3. Very exhaustive analysis and description of the work of the platform. I didn’t know a lot of facts about Lendermarket. Thank you, Denny! I’m investing for a two years in Lendermarket and never met any serious issues with them. During the last two months I have withdrawn all possible funds from competitive platforms and reinvested in Lendermarket. Defenetely, the most convenient automatical investment functionality and one of the highest returns on the market.

    1. I have to say, that you can say goodbye to your money! You will never get them back from Lendermarket.

  4. Im using Lendermarket over a year now and recently was migrated to new platform. Like the new autoinvest options and it is very good way to earn passive income. Once per month I review my AI options.

  5. you are criticising hive5 ,which works excellent , and being moderate with this big p2p issue called lendermarket

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