崑崙萬維入股英國P2P平臺LendInvest
Chinese investors are turning to international peer-to-peer lending platforms in search of higher returns, as competition in the fast-growing alternative finance sector heats up.
中國投資者正轉向國際個人對個人貸款(P2P)平臺尋找更高的回報率。目前這一另類金融行業的競爭日趨激烈。Beijing Kunlun, a Chinese-listed technology company, has struck a deal to back British P2P platform LendInvest with a £22m investment.
在中國上市的北京崑崙萬維科技股份有限公司（Beijing Kunlun，簡稱崑崙萬維）達成協議，以2200萬英鎊入股英國P2P平臺LendInvest。The deal, which represents the first round of external funding in LendInvest, is the latest in a number of recent tie-ups involving Chinese companies seeking to tap burgeoning P2P sectors in the UK and US.
這筆交易代表着LendInvest第一輪外部融資，也是近來中國企業尋求通過聯姻進入英美蓬勃發展的P2P行業的一系列舉動之一。
Renren, a Chinese social networking company, was involved in a $70m investment round in LendingHome in April, a US-based P2P platform for mortgages. Alibaba, the Chinese ecommerce company that held the largest-ever stock market flotation last year at $25bn, teamed up with two alternative lenders in the UK in March to help small and medium-sized British companies enter China.
今年4月，中國社交媒體公司人人網(Renren)參與了對美國抵押貸款P2P平臺LendingHome的一輪7000萬美元的融資。去年以250億美元成爲史上最大規模IPO的中國電商企業阿里巴巴(Alibaba)，今年3月與英國兩家另類貸款機構達成合作，以幫助英國中小企業進入中國市場。P2P, or marketplace investing, matches lenders to borrowers through a digital site, charging lower interest rates for loans than high street banks and providing higher returns than many traditional investments.
P2P（或稱市場化投資）通過網站爲資金出借方和資金借入方牽線搭橋，對借入方收取的利率低於商業銀行，向出借方提供的回報率則高於許多傳統投資。LendInvest, launched in 2013 out of a short-term mortgage lending business, is an online mortgage marketplace that has financed £300m of loans and achieved a £3.1m profit last year.
2013年從一家短期抵押貸款公司脫胎而成的LendInvest，是一個在線抵押貸款市場，累計撮合完成了3億英鎊貸款，去年實現了310萬英鎊的利潤。Christian Faes, chief executive, said he had spent a “lot of time” talking to venture capital funds trying to find the right partner. “You have seen peer-to-peer take off in lending to consumers and businesses, and now property and mortgages is the next big thing,” he said.
LendInvest的首席執行官克里斯蒂安•費斯(Christian Faes)表示，他花了“大量時間”接洽風險投資基金，試圖找到合適的合作伙伴。“你已經看到P2P在消費貸款和企業貸款領域起飛，現在房地產和抵押貸款是下一個重要業務領域，”他說。Beijing Kunlun was originally backed by leading Silicon Valley venture capital fund Sequoia Capital, and has core businesses in gaming, social communications platforms and technology investments. Yahui Zhou, its chief executive, who listed Beijing Kunlun in China this year, will join LendInvest’s board.
崑崙萬維最初得到了硅谷領先風投基金紅杉資本(Sequoia Capital)的支持，其核心業務是遊戲、社交平臺和技術投資。今年帶領公司在中國上市的崑崙萬維首席執行官周亞輝，將進入LendInvest的董事會。Mr Faes said the deal would provide LendInvest with financing to accelerate growth as it plans for an initial public offering in the next year.
費斯表示，在LendInvest打算明年上市之際，這筆交易將爲其提供資金以加快增長。For Chinese investors, established peer-to-peer platforms growing within a regulatory framework offer a robust way to invest in the sector compared with other jurisdictions.
對中國投資者而言，與別的司法管轄區相比，監管框架內的成熟P2P平臺提供了一條投資於該行業的穩健途徑。
