By M&M Reporter
A Lithuania-based fintech startup, Debitum Network, today launches an innovative global finance platform aimed at tackling the worldwide shortage of funding for small businesses at World Blockchain Forum(WBF) in London.
The platform, known as Abra 1.0, allows investors from around the world to fund short-term loans to small businesses – all delivered via a self-contained ecosystem that includes service providers such as risk assessors and insurers.
The system, which has attracted praise from fintech and blockchain community, launches with an investment portfolio of 500 000 EUR, and is scheduled to roll out in 15 countries by 2019.
Debitum’s solution is based on a unique hybrid model, combining the best features of crypto currency transactions and traditional lending. The system’s internal processes are powered by blockchain technology (using the platform’s Ethereum-based DEB token), while loans are delivered using traditional fiat currency. The result is a system that combines end-to-end security and transparency with ease of use.
Blockchain technology offers another key advantage for Debitum Network: speed. With loan agreements executed via smart contracts, Abra 1.0 can deliver loans of between 10,000 EUR and 1 million EUR in as little as 24 hours – a fraction of the time taken by traditional banks.
The new platform offers fast and flexible opportunities to investors of all sizes. Individual investments start from as little as 10 EUR, up to a maximum of 10 million EUR – with attractive returns of 10-15 percent.
Investors can keep track of their investments via a central dashboard. The simple interface allows them to see at a glance how much money they’ve made and view potential investment opportunities, ranked according to risk.
Debitum’s platform represents a significant milestone in tackling a serious global problem. According to recent World Bank figures, some 70 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) worldwide are unable to secure the funding they need from traditional banks. Bureaucratic processes, cumbersome regulation and risk-averse lending have seen the conventional banking industry increasingly unable to address the needs of SMEs for flexible, short-term lending – leading to a boom in alternative finance options that is expected to top $90 billion by 2020.
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