Swiss marketplace lending continues to grow. In 2024, loans totaling CHF 21.4 billion were granted via digital platforms – nearly double the volume seen five years earlier. Increasingly, businesses, individuals, and public-sector entities are turning to online financing.
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Marketplace Lending Reports 2021-2025
The CHF 21.4 billion in loan volume recorded in 2024 represents a new high for marketplace lending in Switzerland. Following a slight decline in 2023 (–11%), the market recovered in 2024 with growth of 15%, according to our latest edition of the Marketplace Lending Report together with the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU). This report remains the most comprehensive analysis of online debt financing for Swiss companies, public entities, and individuals.
Online Mortgage Lending: Record Year in 2024
Online mortgage brokerage reached a new record of approximately CHF 7 billion in 2024. Most platforms significantly increased their annual volumes, despite internal restructuring – for instance, the integration of MoneyPark by Helvetia. The overall market expanded by 40%.
One key challenge remains the still-limited awareness of the mortgage brokerage model among the general public. Consumer behavior is evolving only gradually. However, a recent survey by the Institute of Financial Services Zug (IFZ) found that over one-third of mortgage holders are open to arranging future mortgages through a broker. This indicates continued growth potential in the segment. Currently, online platforms account for around 4% of the total Swiss mortgage market.
Public Sector Embracing Online Platforms
Loan and bond financing for mid-sized to large companies and public-sector bodies makes up roughly two-thirds of the total marketplace lending volume in Switzerland. After a slight decline in 2023, the transaction volume in this segment returned to its 2022 level, reaching CHF 14.0 billion in 2024. Municipalities, cantons, and cities are increasingly adopting this financing channel, and many have already utilized such platforms.
Positive Outlook for Crowdlending
Crowdlending is also expected to grow. In recent years, the market faced a series of stress tests: the COVID-19 pandemic, economic uncertainty, inflation, and a rapid rise in interest rates, followed by a reversal beginning in May 2024.
With the return to a low-interest environment, lending volumes are increasing once again. Despite occasional loan defaults, investors in this segment earned average net returns of around 3% p.a. over the past eight years (after losses and fees). Broad diversification remains essential for managing risk.
Low Interest Rates Could Drive Further Marketplace Lending Growth
Falling interest rates typically support the expansion of marketplace lending. Platforms offer investors medium- to long-term loans with fixed interest rates, providing stable and predictable returns in a low-rate environment. If low rates persist, further acceleration across all marketplace lending segments is likely, driven by investor demand for reliable yields.
This growth outlook, however, depends on broader economic stability and the absence of escalating geopolitical tensions.
