Lendermarket
High-yield consumer loan marketplace.
Crowdscope score
Volume
640 M€
Investors
25k
2nd market
No
Auto-invest
Yes
Avg. duration
18 months
Default rate
0%
Score breakdown
Each criterion rated from 0 to 10 then weighted.
About Lendermarket
Overview of the platform, its framework and risk profile.
Launched in 2019, Lendermarket is a European marketplace specializing in high-yield consumer credit. The platform was initially created to serve as the financial arm of the Estonian Creditstar group, a major short-term lending player established since 2006. Today, it allows investors to finance micro-loans and personal loans in several countries (Estonia, Poland, Spain, Finland, etc.), capturing some of the highest interest rates in the crowdlending market.
⚖️ The Investment Framework
Lendermarket operates on a claims assignment model. Unlike regulated giants in the sector, the platform favors agility and brute performance:
- Guarantee Model: almost all loans include a Buyback Guarantee. If a borrower is more than 60 days late, the credit company undertakes to buy back the claim and pay accrued interest.
- Legal Structure: registered in Ireland, the platform is not a regulated investment firm (MiFID/PSFP type). It acts as a technological intermediary, which offers it great operational flexibility but does not provide the same institutional protections as an authorized broker.
- Simplicity: the Auto Invest tool is the pillar of the platform, allowing for completely passive management of interests that are reinvested immediately.
🚩 Risk Profile: High
Lendermarket's exceptional return (often between 14% and 16%) reflects a specific risk profile:
- Concentration Risk: although the platform is opening up to other issuers, it remains heavily dependent on the financial health of the Creditstar group. The solidity of your investment therefore essentially rests on the solvency of this single issuer.
- Lack of Liquidity: there is no secondary market on Lendermarket. Once the money is invested, it is immobilized until the final repayment of the loan. It is therefore crucial to prioritize short-term loans (1 to 6 months) to maintain some flexibility.
- Absence of Direct Regulation: the investor does not benefit from the European deposit guarantee or the supervision of a national central bank. Legal recourse in the event of platform failure would be more complex.
- Delay Management: it is common to observe a significant portion of late loans (within the 60-day limit). Although the buyback guarantee covers these delays, it can create visual uncertainty on investors' dashboards.
Current Climate & Sentiment
Our interpretation of the community climate and trust surrounding the platform.
The climate on Lendermarket at the beginning of 2026 is marked by a rebellion of historical investors against a significant drop in interest rates and platform management sometimes deemed "opaque." While the platform continues to attract for its returns, confidence is being tested by frequent rule changes.
Falling rates and persistent "Cash Drag"
The main discontent comes from the plummeting rates: while short-term loans were trading at 13-14% recently, they are now capped around 9%. This drop, coupled with a lack of available loans (the notorious cash drag), is prompting some users to consider a complete withdrawal of their funds to competing platforms like Swaper or Mintos, where rates are rising again.
The Waltz of Fees and Lack of Transparency
The community reacted strongly to the introduction, then sudden removal (after only 37 days), of withdrawal fees. Investors denounce a strategy of "pressure on liquidity":
- Volatility of rules: the platform is perceived as a "black box" that changes its conditions (fees, bonuses) to retain capital based on its own treasury needs.
- Campaigns deemed restrictive: new bonuses (e.g., Pot-O'-Gold campaign) are criticized for their conditions deemed "unrealistic" (total blocking of withdrawals for several months for a bonus of only 1.8%).
Delay Management: The "Dineo" Case
A major point of vigilance concerns loans from the issuer Dineo. Many investors report that more than half of their Dineo portfolio is overdue (Pending Payments). Although Buyback guarantees are generally honored eventually, these delays weigh on the real liquidity of the portfolio and on the morale of lenders.
Creditstar Group Solidity
Despite criticism on ergonomics and communication, a positive point remains: the parent company, Creditstar, continues to pay interest on its bonds on time. More seasoned investors are closely monitoring the major deadline of June 2026 (€35 million to be repaid), considered as the ultimate solvency test for the group.
Crowdscope Editorial Analysis · August 2026. Synthesis of observed community discussions, non-sponsored.
Guarantees
- Buyback
Conditions
- Minimum ticket
- 10 €
- Indicative yield
- 14.2%
- Average duration
- 18 months
- Status
- Non régulé ECSP
Warning
Investing carries a risk of partial or total capital loss. Displayed yields are indicative and not guaranteed.
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Compare Lendermarket with similar platforms
Side-by-side comparisons on score, yield, guarantees, liquidity and regulation.
Lendermarket — frequently asked questions
Is Lendermarket a safe crowdlending platform?
Lendermarket scores 47/100 in the Crowdscope framework. It operates from Ireland since 2019, under the Non régulé ECSP status, with a reported default rate of 0%. Loans are backed by: Buyback. No crowdlending platform is risk-free: capital is at risk and past performance does not predict future returns.
What return can you expect on Lendermarket?
The indicative yield advertised on Lendermarket is around 14.2% per year, before defaults, recovery delays and cash drag. The net return observed by investors is usually lower.
Does Lendermarket have a secondary market?
No, Lendermarket does not offer a secondary market. Investments must be held until the loan matures or is repaid early.
What is the minimum investment on Lendermarket?
The minimum investment per loan on Lendermarket is 10 EUR, with an average duration of 18 months.
Is Lendermarket regulated?
Lendermarket operates under the Non régulé ECSP regime. ECSP means the platform holds the European Crowdfunding Service Provider licence supervised by a national regulator; other statuses indicate a national regime or the absence of a dedicated crowdfunding licence.
Last updated: · Reviewed by the Crowdscope editorial team