Ryan Weeks

Ryan is the editor of AltFi News and an expert in the alternative finance space. He has been featured in the Guardian, Equities.com, and is a regular guest on radio.

Articles by Ryan Weeks

Catching up with Canada’s oldest alternative lender

The recently published “Breaking New Ground: The Americas Alternative Finance Benchmarking Report” – spearheaded by the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance – explores a market which produced $36.49 billion in funding volume in 2015. Of that total, Canada generated $206.96 million, up 240% from the $60.81 million that was recorded in 2014. The Cambridge report focused solely on the exchange-based platforms, i.e. marketplace lenders and a range of crowdfunders. Despite the somewhat limited scope of this report, it’s clear that Canada’s alternative finance space – while growing – is at an earlier stage in its growth trajectory than its neighbour the US (which has produced c. 99% of the funding that has to date been delivered by alternative financiers in the Americas).