Many investors may find investment in Peer-to-Peer (P2P) lending attractive due to its potential benefits, such as higher returns and shorter tenors. The barrier to entry is also one of the lowest amongst all types of investments, from just $20.
Read about the 4 things to expect when you invest in P2P lending and also the 5 reasons to start investing in P2P lending.
First-time investors who are not yet familiar with the details of P2P lending may be hesitant to start this investment. We have compiled a list of 4 things you should look out for when investing with P2P platforms to help you avoid common mistakes made by first-time investors.
1. Investing only in loans with high returns
Investors may often be incentivised to participate in P2P investments due to the high returns they potentially provide. To receive greater returns, some investors may end up only picking loans with higher interest rates. However, interest rates are priced based on the credit risk and higher interest rates are an indication of higher risks. Interest rates should not be the only determining factor for investing in a loan. As an investor, you would be better off diversifying you investments across loans with varying interest rates.
2. Not diversifying your investments
In any type of investment, it’s crucial to diversify your portfolio so that you won’t end up putting all your eggs in one basket. When you concentrate your investments and don’t diversify them, your portfolio may go south quickly if there are non-performing loans.
Expanding on the first point, a balanced mix of high and low interest rates is a way to diversify your investments. Additionally, you can also invest across different SMEs, industries, products, loan tenors as well as investment amounts.
An easy way to diversify on Funding Societies’ platform is to set up Auto Invest. The Auto Invest bots can be customised based on your investment preferences. That said, you have the flexibility to opt out of loans in which you are not interested before the crowdfunding starts.
Secondly, you can diversify across different types of investment assets that align with your investment risk profile. This can include savings, insurances and the traditional investment vehicles such as bonds and stocks.
3. Withdrawing returns when you receive them
It may be tempting to withdraw your returns once you receive them. However, experienced P2P investors typically don’t do that to potentially benefit from the compounding effect from re-investments. You can re-invest your monthly repayments to potentially receive a higher compounded interest. Your returns (in the form of interests) also start to form part of your capital which you can utilise to re-invest in upcoming loans.
By leaving the repayments in your account, you are ensured that you have funds which can be readily invested when opportunities arise, even without pumping in fresh funds.
4. Not being familiar with P2P lending platforms & the details
While the concept of P2P lending is not difficult to understand, it is important to equip yourself with knowledge of the P2P lending platforms that you wish to invest with. Investing with a stable and responsible P2P lending platform will help you minimise unnecessary risks and inconveniences. Ensure (and expect!) that the platform is responsive, transparent in its processes and stable to carry out its operations and duties for investors.
A good platform to consider is Funding Societies, the largest P2P lending platform in Southeast Asia that holds the Capital Markets Service Licence issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). As of March 2019, it has crowdfunded more than $450 million in the region across more than 300,000 loans. This statistic also reflects the number of opportunities for investors.
Understanding the details of each investment will also allow you to make informed investment decisions. At Funding Societies, a loan fact sheet will be provided on every investment opportunity. It contains details of the loan, its repayment schedule, a summary of the company and guarantors, the company’s financials, and comments from Funding Societies’ very own credit team.
What’s the ONE thing you should do?
Seriously consider P2P lending as part of your investment portfolio! 😀
P2P loans are a form of alternative investments that hold many benefits, especially for new investors that would like to start small or with experienced investors looking to diversify their portfolio. An investment with Funding Societies starts from just $20.
By watching out for these 4 listed things that you should not do when investing on P2P lending, we hope that you’ll be able to have a smooth and successful P2P investment journey!
Ready to start your P2P investment journey? Sign up with Funding Societies today, or live chat with their Customer Experience team to understand this investment better.
Disclaimers
This article is contributed by Funding Societies and is adopted from this blog article.
It should not be construed that Moneydigest is endorsing this article or any of the products and services provided by Funding Societies.
Nothing in this article should be construed as constitute or form a recommendation, financial advice, or an offer, invitation or solicitation from Funding Societies to buy or subscribe for any securities and/or investment products. The content and materials made available are for informational purposes only and should not be relied on without obtaining the necessary independent financial or other advice in connection therewith before making an investment or other decision as may be appropriate.
