Have you ever heard of an investment product that provides positive returns without having any risk involved at all? Well, we all know the answer – it’s a big “NO”. Unfortunately, every investment platform and product comes with its own risks, as returns earned are a reward for risk borne. The returns for investment assets such as stocks and equities fluctuate every day, with a mix of good and bad days accumulating to form the returns over time. However, investment products with fixed returns such as fixed deposits, bonds, and Peer-to-Peer financing (P2P) help to mitigate the risk of volatile returns.
As P2P financing continues to grow in Malaysia, we have identified the risks and proposed potential solutions in order to assist Malaysians to safely and successfully invest via P2P. Let’s dig deeper and find out how we can overcome the risks and maximise our returns associated with Peer-to-peer financing platforms.
- Risk Involved: Losing principal invested
While Peer-to-peer lending platforms generally have fixed returns, there still exists the risk of principal loss via defaults. A default occurs when a borrower is not able to make their repayments on their loans, causing investors to potentially lose a portion of their invested amounts.
The solution to this is quite simple – diversified investments. As the adage goes, we should not have all our eggs in one basket. This means that investors should split their funds into different businesses and industries, and in the case of P2P, it’s actually investing into a variety of investment notes. In this scenario, a default will have a lessened impact on an investors total portfolio.
- Risk Involved: Not achieving the expected returns
While P2P financing usually provides investors with the potential for higher returns than savings accounts or fixed deposits, there may still be a risk of achieving lower returns than expected.
To ensure that investors receive their targeted returns, it is advisable to stay invested for longer periods of time, such as 2 -3 years. This allows investors to earn compound interest on their returns, as the profit earned can be reinvested. It may also be helpful to have your investments automatically re-allocated, in order to avoid having unutilised cash.
- Risk Involved: Credit Risk
P2P financing carries credit risk, as the risks borne by investors are tied to the repayment ability of the borrowers. This credit risk may be heightened as applicants for P2P loans may have poorer credit histories that hinders their ability to obtain traditional loans from banks.
To avoid this, investors should conduct their own research on the borrower’s profile properly before making an investment. Some platforms will require and conduct strict background checks on their borrowers before providing them with financing. This information will then be made available to investors to aid in the decision making process.
Until recently, the only real option for obtaining a loan was to approach a bank or similar financial institution. Peer-to-Peer financing has made the borrowing process easier for SMEs and other businesses in order to assist with their growth. Similarly, investors can now invest and earn higher returns compared to other types of investments, while controlling the level of risk based on their investment appetite.
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