Black Magic Group
Black Magic Group is a Hong Kong and London-based private fintech and investment group operating four subsidiaries: Buddy Finance (Hong Kong property-backed mortgage lending), Black Magic (ABS/MBS deal origination), Luxborough Capital (London real estate PE), and Samvo (quantitative risk analytics) using proprietary Dixon-Coles dynamic pricing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersWan Chai, Hong Kong SAR China
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Black Magic Group does
Black Magic Group (Black Magic Global Limited) is a privately held Hong Kong and London-based fintech and investment group operating through four wholly-owned subsidiaries: Buddy Finance (an HK-licensed mortgage lender against Hong Kong property, Money Lenders License No. 2309/2022), Black Magic (a corporate finance house specialising in ABS/MBS deal origination and securitisation), Luxborough Capital (a UK-focused real estate PE fund engaging in developer financing, mezzanine debt, and distressed assets), and Samvo (a quantitative analytics and cloud solutions provider serving finance and entertainment verticals). The group's cumulative loan origination across Buddy Finance exceeds $1BN with $100M+ issued in 2021 alone; the loan portfolio is 95% secured by property and operated with a sub-2% delinquency rate.
The technology backbone is a proprietary dynamic modeling engine that extends the Dixon and Coles statistical framework for quantitative risk pricing, alternative credit scoring, and market intelligence. The group uses alternative data inputs and runs tens of thousands of simulations to generate probabilities and price risk dynamically. This same engine powers Buddy Finance's mortgage underwriting, Black Magic's securitisation structuring, and Samvo's sports-odds trading and payment infrastructure. The group maintains joint academic research relationships with Nottingham Business School, University of Salford, and University of Wales (2017), and Buddy Finance was invited to participate in the University of Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance's 2nd Global Alternative Finance Market Benchmarking Report in 2021. Earlier flagship Luxborough Capital projects include The Madison in Canary Wharf, London, and the Samvo House renovation in Marylebone (named "Deal of the Year" for highest per-square-foot price in prime Central London).
The group's revenue model mixes interest income on secured mortgage loans (Buddy Finance), arrangement and distribution fees on ABS/MBS and corporate notes private issues (Black Magic), investment returns from real estate development and distressed-asset strategies (Luxborough Capital), and technology licensing/consulting for cloud-based risk pricing, swap, and payment infrastructure (Samvo). Capital sources for the lending operations include multiple 2021 debt financing rounds with private banking and investment banking partners, plus a corporate notes private issue distributed by China Tonghai International Financial Limited (952.HK) in October 2021. Group KPIs include 22% YoY revenue growth in 2021, a 42.1% net profit margin (+3320bps over 2018–2021), and average secured loan size of $1.5M at an average loan-to-value ratio of 65%. The firm is privately held with 11–50 employees across Hong Kong and London offices and no disclosed institutional ownership.
Black Magic Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Black Magic Group
- Legal name
- Black Magic Global Limited
- Website
- https://blackmagicgp.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Black Magic Group is a Hong Kong and London-based private fintech and investment group operating four subsidiaries: Buddy Finance (Hong Kong property-backed mortgage lending), Black Magic (ABS/MBS deal origination), Luxborough Capital (London real estate PE), and Samvo (quantitative risk analytics) using proprietary Dixon-Coles dynamic pricing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Black Magic Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Alternative Financial Services
- NAICS
- Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)
- SIC
- Asset-Backed Securities (6189), Loan Brokers (6163), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Direct Lending — Specialty Finance (Consumer/SME Lending Platforms) (FSAHAJAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Private/Illiquid Credit (Side Pockets, Trade Claims, Private Situations) (FSAHAGAM)
Keywords
Where Black Magic Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wan Chai
- HQ country
- Hong Kong SAR China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
Black Magic Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Mortgage Lending (Buddy Finance): Interest income from mortgage loans secured against Hong Kong property. Loans issued in 2021 exceeded $100M with aggregate loanout exceeding $1BN+
- Deal Origination & Securitisation (Black Magic): Arrangement fees from asset-backed securities (ABS) and mortgage-backed securities (MBS). Facilitates corporate notes private issues and debt financing rounds for group companies
- PE Investment (Luxborough Capital): Returns from real estate investments including developer financing, mezzanine debts, distressed assets, and co-investment projects such as The Madison in Canary Wharf London and Samvo House in Marylebone
- Technology Solutions (Samvo): Cloud-based solutions, risk pricing analytics, and consulting services for finance and entertainment industries. Includes market intelligence, swap services, and innovative payment solutions
- Corporate Notes Distribution: Distribution fees from corporate notes issues, including the Buddy Finance notes issue distributed by China Tonghai International Financial Limited (952.HK)
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Private lending terms |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Black Magic Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Black Magic Group is a Hong Kong and London-based deal originator and financier that delivers technology-driven financial services across four operating brands. Buddy Finance provides mortgage lending against Hong Kong property; Black Magic arranges corporate deal origination and asset-backed/mortgage-backed securitisation; Luxborough Capital executes real estate private equity investments including developer financing, mezzanine debt, and distressed assets in the UK; and Samvo provides cloud-based quantitative risk pricing, swap, and payment solutions. All offerings are powered by a proprietary dynamic modeling engine and Dixon and Coles model extensions.
Product overview
Black Magic Group operates as a Hong Kong and London-based deal originator and financier through technology, consisting of four main operating brands. Luxborough Capital (established 2014) is a PE investment fund for real estate and financing. Black Magic (established 2017) is the corporate deal origination and asset securitisation arm acting as arranger of ABS and MBS. Buddy Finance (operated since 2017) is the FinTech lending module providing mortgage loans. Samvo (repositioned in 2017) is the quantitative analytics and cloud solutions provider powering risk pricing and payment infrastructure across the group. All operating entities share proprietary technology platform based on dynamic pricing and statistical modeling using the Dixon and Coles model.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Buddy Finance Innovative challenger financial institution providing smart mortgage loans secured against Hong Kong property through technology-driven risk modeling and data mining. Operates under Hong Kong Money Lenders License No. 2309/2022 and supports debt financing and mortgage securitisation operations.
- Black Magic Corporate Finance Boutique corporate finance house that arranges asset-backed securities (ABS) and mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and adds strategic value through technology and quantitative analytics. Operates across Hong Kong, London, and Europe for deal origination and securitisation.
- Luxborough Capital Real Estate PE Fund International privately owned real estate and financing-related private equity investment fund engaging in developer financing, mezzanine debts, and distressed assets investing, with a focus on value unlocking through refurbishment and development in London and UK prime locations.
- Samvo Cloud-Based Quantitative Solutions Service provider offering cloud-based quantitative solutions in finance and entertainment services, providing technical infrastructure including risk pricing, swap services, and innovative payment solutions powered by proprietary dynamic modeling and quantitative pricing analytics.
Quantifiable outcome
- 22% YoY revenue growth in 2021
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Black Magic Group
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Black Magic Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature6 records
Black Magic Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- University of CambridgecoreBuddy Finance invited to participate in The 2nd Global Alternative Finance Market Benchmarking Report by University of Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance. Validates company's position in alternative finance market.
- Nottingham Business SchoolcoreSamvo engaged in joint academic research with Nottingham Business School as part of ongoing quantitative analytics development and model enhancement.
- University of SalfordcoreSamvo engaged in joint academic research with University of Salford contributing to quantitative modeling and analytics development.
- University of WalescoreSamvo engaged in joint academic research with University of Wales supporting academic advancement in quantitative finance and analytics.
- China Sports Lottery (中国体彩)coreSamvo engaged in partnership agreement with China Sports Lottery (under China Ministry of Finance) to provide consulting services and training in relation to algorithm and risk control. Represents strategic relationship in sports betting risk management.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Black Magic Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Octopus Capital: UK-based specialist real estate and development financing investor active in London prime and student accommodation. Octopus is a comparable PE and mezzanine debt investor to Luxborough Capital for UK real estate development opportunities.
- ZA Bank: Hong Kong's leading virtual bank offering digital lending, deposits, and wealth products. As a tech-led Hong Kong credit provider, ZA Bank competes with Buddy Finance for the same digitally native borrowers seeking property-backed and personal credit.
- Yixin Group: Hong Kong-listed (2858.HK) Chinese fintech lender specialising in automobile financing and loan securitisation. Already a Black Magic Group investment and partnership reference, Yixin mirrors Buddy Finance's model of originating loans and distributing them as asset-backed securities to institutional investors.
- WeLab Group (WeLend): Hong Kong-headquartered digital lending platform providing tech-driven consumer and property-backed credit. WeLend operates an online lending business with a similar challenger-bank profile to Buddy Finance, serving Hong Kong retail and SME borrowers.
Broad incumbents
- Bloomberg L.P. Global financial data, analytics, and risk-pricing infrastructure provider. Bloomberg's quantitative analytics and market-intelligence capabilities overlap with Samvo's dynamic modeling and risk pricing engine, especially given Samvo's prior Bloomberg recognition in sports betting.
- Lufax Holding: NYSE-listed Chinese fintech platform providing secured retail credit and enabling third-party securitisation. Lufax is a much larger incumbent that validates the same tech-enabled secured-lending and ABS distribution model that Black Magic and Buddy Finance pursue.
- Aldermore Bank: UK specialist challenger bank active in property-backed and SME lending. Aldermore is a comparable institutional counterparty in the UK for Luxborough Capital's developer financing and property-backed credit activities.
- LexinFintech Holdings: NASDAQ-listed Chinese consumer fintech platform that originates and securitises loans through its technology infrastructure. Lexin provides a larger-scale analog to Buddy Finance's tech-driven origination-plus-securitisation strategy.
Regional players
- AMTD Group: Hong Kong-based financial services group spanning investment banking, asset management, and digital solutions. AMTD overlaps with Black Magic Group's boutique corporate finance and cross-border Hong Kong-London advisory footprint.
Others
- China Tonghai International Financial: Hong Kong-listed (952.HK) full-service brokerage and investment bank that distributed Buddy Finance's corporate notes. As a distribution and financing counterparty for the group, China Tonghai is a direct channel peer for securitisation and private-placement activities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Black Magic Group social profiles
Digital presenceBlack Magic Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Black Magic Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Black Magic Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Black Magic Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Black Magic Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Black Magic Group
What does Black Magic Group do?
Black Magic Group is a Hong Kong and London-based deal originator and financier that delivers technology-driven financial services across four operating brands. Buddy Finance provides mortgage lending against Hong Kong property; Black Magic arranges corporate deal origination and asset-backed/mortgage-backed securitisation; Luxborough Capital executes real estate private equity investments including developer financing, mezzanine debt, and distressed assets in the UK; and Samvo provides cloud-based quantitative risk pricing, swap, and payment solutions. All offerings are powered by a proprietary dynamic modeling engine and Dixon and Coles model extensions.
Is Black Magic Group a public or private company?
Black Magic Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Black Magic Group founded?
Black Magic Group was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Black Magic Group based?
Black Magic Group is headquartered in Wan Chai, Hong Kong SAR China, in the Asia region.
How does Black Magic Group make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Mortgage Lending (Buddy Finance) is the primary driver. The others are deal Origination & Securitisation (Black Magic), PE Investment (Luxborough Capital), technology Solutions (Samvo) and corporate Notes Distribution.
Who are Black Magic Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Octopus Capital, ZA Bank, Yixin Group and WeLab Group (WeLend). Broad incumbents are Bloomberg L.P., Lufax Holding, Aldermore Bank and LexinFintech Holdings. AMTD Group is listed as a regional player. China Tonghai International Financial is listed as an others.
Does Black Magic Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Black Magic Group.
What industry is Black Magic Group in?
Black Magic Group's product category is Alternative Financial Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAHAJAF, Direct Lending — Specialty Finance (Consumer/SME Lending Platforms), with a secondary code of FSAHAGAM, Private/Illiquid Credit (Side Pockets, Trade Claims, Private Situations). Its NAICS code is 525 and its SIC code is 6189.