Alternative finance

Alternative finance includes financial channels and instruments outside of the traditional financial system of regulated banks and capital markets.

Examples of alternative channels are online 'marketplaces' such as equity- and reward-based crowdfunding, peer-to-peer consumer/business lending, and third-party payment platforms.

Alternative instruments include SME mini-bonds, private placements and other 'shadow banking' mechanisms, social impact bonds and community shares used by non-profit enterprises, and alternative currencies such as Bitcoin.

See also

• Alternative investment
• Bank
• Bitcoin
• Bond
• Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance
• Capital market
• Crowdfunding
• Equity
• Finance
• Hedge fund
• Non-bank financial intermediaries (NBFIs)
• Order book for Retail Bonds
• Private credit
• Private equity
• Private placement
• Real asset
• Shadow banking
• SME
• Social impact bond
• Stock
• Venture capital