Alternative finance platforms Alternative finance platforms, including marketplace lending and crowdfunding platforms, use new technologies to connect fundraisers directly with funding sources. The aim is to avoid the costs and delays involved in traditional intermediated finance. While alternative financing platforms are growing rapidly, they are still a very minor source of funding for businesses, including in Australia.
The largest alternative finance markets are in China, followed by the United States and the United Kingdom. But even these markets remain small relative to the size of their economies (Graph 12). 13 / 17  BIS central bankers' speeches  Marketplace lending platforms provide debt funding by matching individuals or groups of lenders with borrowers.