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In the heart of Europe, Switzerland's marketplace lending sector is experiencing a surge, propelled by a low-interest-rate investment environment. This positive outlook is evident in the performance of Cosmofunding, a crowdlending platform owned by Bank Vontobel.
Cosmofunding, a pioneer in the Swiss marketplace lending scene, reported a Year-over-Year (YoY) growth of 9.2% in 2024, reaching CHF 11.9 billion. Since its launch, the platform has facilitated approximately CHF 46 billion in issuances, underscoring its significant role in the sector.
The growth in the marketplace lending sector is not limited to Cosmofunding. Loans and bonds for public and near-public entities, as well as mid-sized and large corporations, rebounded in 2024, reaching CHF 14 billion, marking a 6.2% YoY increase. Crowdlending, which encompasses consumer loans, business loans, and mortgage-backed loans, also witnessed growth, with volumes reaching CHF 406.1 million, a 2% YoY increase.
However, the search results do not provide specific predictions for the growth of the mortgage marketplace lending segment in Switzerland from the 2025 Marketplace Lending Report by the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) and the Swiss Marketplace Lending Association (SMLA).
Nevertheless, the Swiss mortgage brokerage segment has shown significant growth, with a 40% increase in volume to reach a record CHF 7 billion[2]. This robust market growth, coupled with the Swiss National Bank's key interest rate cuts, has led to lower mortgage rates, potentially boosting demand.
While the overall economic outlook in Switzerland includes low inflation and a strong currency, which could impact real estate markets, specific growth projections for the mortgage marketplace lending sector are not provided in the available data[4].
Cosmofunding operates on an auction format, securing projects upon successful completion. The platform focuses on public and corporate borrowers, with Bank Vontobel acting as a lead manager, paying agent, and orchestrator. Another notable player in the Swiss marketplace lending scene is Loanboox, active since 2016, which has transacted over CHF 30 billion across 3,500 transactions, offering loans to various entities and charging a fee of one to two basis points per year.
Despite the positive outlook, persistent low rates bring challenges, such as eroding returns for savers and pressure on bank margins as loan returns decline. For precise predictions from the mentioned report, direct access to the report or an update from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) and the Swiss Marketplace Lending Association (SMLA) would be necessary.
- The surge in Switzerland's marketplace lending sector, as seen in the growth of platforms like Cosmofunding, indicates a potential for increased investing in business and technology sectors, as low-interest-rate environments encourage such activities.
- As the Swiss mortgage brokerage segment shows significant growth and lower mortgage rates, the mortgage marketplace lending sector may witness expansion in the future, potentially offering attractive opportunities for those in the finance industry.
