What Linked Finance does

Linked Finance operates Ireland's largest peer-to-peer business lending platform, founded in 2013 to address a financing gap left when several traditional Irish lenders (Irish Nationwide, Ulster Bank, ACC Bank) exited the market. The company runs a two-sided marketplace in which retail investors fund unsecured SME loans originated through the Linked Finance platform, with credit decisions issued within 24 hours and a loan grading system providing risk signals to lenders. As of mid-2026 the platform had cumulatively deployed more than €400 million to over 5,000 Irish SMEs, with average loan size having grown from roughly €18,000 in 2013 to approximately €125,000 today.

The product suite comprises three core SME offerings: Term Loans of €10,000-€500,000 over 6-60 months at interest rates from 6.95%; Merchant Cash Advances of €10,000-€150,000 repayable via a fixed percentage of card sales over up to 12 months from 6%; and BillPay loans of €10,000+ over a 12-month term for tax and insurance obligations. On the supply side, the P2P platform enables retail investors to fund loans starting from €50 per loan, with an Autobid feature automating bid placement based on investor-defined criteria and lenders earning average returns of approximately 8% annually. The company operates as Linked P2P Limited, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland as an authorised Crowdfunding Service Provider under EU regulations (secured late 2023), and runs a parallel Partner Programme that pays referral fees to accountants and financial advisors who introduce SME borrowers.

Revenue is generated through multiple transaction-based streams: an interest rate spread between borrower rates (6.95%-17%) and lender returns (~8%), a one-time borrower completion fee deducted from loan proceeds, a borrower application fee, a 0.1% monthly lender servicing fee on outstanding principal, and a balance fee on uninvested lender deposits. Distribution combines a product-led self-serve online application (2-minute form, 24-hour decision) with a partner referral channel and direct-to-consumer investor acquisition. The company is headquartered in Dublin with 11-50 employees and currently operates exclusively within Ireland, with regulatory standing to consider EU passporting post-2023 authorisation.

Name

Linked Finance

Legal name

Linked P2P Limited

Website

https://linkedfinance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Linked Finance is Ireland's largest peer-to-peer business lending platform, founded in 2013 to provide fast (24-hour decision) unsecured loans of €10,000-€500,000 to Irish SMEs, funded by retail investors via its P2P marketplace and now regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland under EU crowdfunding rules.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Peer-to-peer SME lending

NAICS

Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (52231), Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522)

SIC

Loan Brokers (6163)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Credit / Direct Lending (FSAAAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Merchant Cash Advance & Payment-linked Lending (CRAFALAK)

Keywords

• Peer-to-peer lending
• SME business loans
• Merchant cash advance
• Crowdfunding platform
• Alternative business finance

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Interest Rate Spread: Linked Finance earns revenue from the spread between interest rates charged to borrowers and rates paid to lenders. Borrower interest rates range from 6.95% to 17% depending on loan grade and term.
2. Borrower Completion Fee: One-time fee charged to borrowers upon successful loan funding to cover the cost of facilitating the borrowing process. Fee is deducted from loan proceeds before disbursement.
3. Borrower Application Fee: Fee payable to Linked P2P when a borrower applies for a loan, regardless of whether the loan is subsequently funded.
4. Lender Servicing Fee: Monthly fee charged to lenders calculated as 0.1% of the principal amount outstanding under each active loan contract at the beginning of each calendar month.
5. Lender Balance Fee: Monthly fee on uninvested deposits held in lender accounts, calculated daily based on prevailing interest rate environment and bank charges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Linked Finance operates Ireland's largest peer-to-peer lending marketplace that connects Irish SMEs seeking business financing with retail investors seeking returns. Borrowers can apply online in approximately 2 minutes for Term Loans (€50,000–€500,000), Merchant Cash Advances (€10,000–€150,000), or BillPay loans (€10,000+) and typically receive 24-hour credit decisions. Investors fund these loans directly through the platform, earning average returns of approximately 8% annually, with a minimum investment of €50 per loan.

Product overview

Linked Finance operates as Ireland's largest peer-to-peer (P2P) business lending platform, offering a portfolio of three core lending products for SMEs: Term Loans (unsecured business finance from €10,000 to €500,000 over 6-60 months), Merchant Cash Advances (short-term flexible financing repaid via card sales over up to 12 months), and BillPay (12-month financing for tax and insurance premiums). The platform simultaneously serves retail investors through its P2P marketplace, enabling them to earn approximately 8% average annual returns by lending directly to Irish SMEs, with automated investing options via the Autobid feature.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Term Loan Unsecured business loan for Irish SMEs providing €50,000 to €500,000 in financing over 6 to 60 months. Features 24-hour credit decisions, no early repayment fees, no collateral required (personal guarantee only), and interest rates starting at 6.95% based on credit grade.
• Merchant Cash Advance Short-term flexible financing for Irish SMEs starting from €10,000 with terms up to 12 months. Repaid automatically through a fixed percentage of credit and debit card sales, with interest rates starting at 6%. No collateral required, personal guarantee needed.
• BillPay Fixed-rate financing solution for large one-off business payments such as annual tax bills and insurance premiums, starting from €10,000 and repayable in monthly instalments by direct debit over a 12-month term. No early repayment fees.
• Peer-to-Peer Lending Platform Ireland's leading peer-to-peer business lending platform connecting retail investors with Irish SMEs seeking loans. Investors earn average returns of approximately 8% annually by funding SME loans, with a minimum investment of €50 per loan. Investors can hand-pick loans on the Live Loans marketplace or use the Autobid automated investing tool.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24-hour credit decisions for faster access to capital
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Funding Circle: UK-listed P2P lending platform for SMEs. Most direct comparable: originated billions in loans to small businesses through a marketplace model connecting institutional and retail investors with borrowers. Same P2P business model, same SME target market, same interest-spread revenue approach.
• iwoca: UK-based alternative lender to SMEs offering flexible short-term finance. Directly comparable product offering (small business loans, flexible terms), SME target segment, and revenue model (spread-based lending). Operates without retail P2P but serves the same underlying customer need.
• LendingCrowd: UK-based P2P lending platform for SMEs and property developers. Direct comparable on the P2P marketplace model, SME borrower focus, and investor yield-based revenue approach. Smaller scale than Funding Circle but similar operating model.
• Zopa: UK P2P lending pioneer (now operating as a digital bank). Most direct comparable in terms of P2P marketplace infrastructure and platform model, though Zopa now extends to consumer loans and a broader banking proposition. Demonstrates both the upside and consolidation trajectory of P2P platforms.
• RateSetter: UK P2P lending platform (now part of Metro Bank). Direct P2P marketplace comparable, originally focused on consumer loans with SME expansion. Acquired by a high-street bank, illustrating the strategic value of established P2P platforms and a potential exit pathway.

Regional players

• Wayflyer: Irish-headquartered revenue-based financing platform for e-commerce and DTC brands. Direct regional peer in Irish SME finance, comparable SME target market and use case (growth capital), but with different underwriting model (revenue-based) and product (working capital advances vs term loans).
• Capitalflow: Irish business finance provider offering invoice discounting, asset finance, and SME loans. Regional peer operating in the same Irish SME lending market with overlapping product set (asset finance, working capital). Comparable customer base and regulatory environment.

Emerging players

• MarketFinance: UK-based SME finance platform providing business loans and invoice finance. Comparable SME borrower focus and online origination approach, with similar instant-decision value proposition. Smaller scale than Linked Finance but similar operational model.
• Funding Xchange: UK SME finance marketplace connecting borrowers with multiple lenders. Comparable marketplace model for SME lending, though acts more as an intermediary/aggregator than a direct originator. Relevant peer for digital SME lending infrastructure.

Broad incumbents

• Stripe Capital: Stripe's embedded lending product offering working capital advances to businesses using Stripe payments. Not a P2P platform but a broad incumbent in SME/business financing with comparable small-ticket, short-term, payment-linked lending products (overlaps with Linked Finance's MCA product). Demonstrates scale of alternative SME finance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/linkedfinance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/linked-finance
• Instagraminstagram.com/linkedfinance
• Xx.com/linkedfinance

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Linked Finance