Fast Invest Ltd is a peer lending platform from Lithuania that has over 30 000 active users per day. I've invested 10,000 € on Fast Invest and this is my unbiased review of my experiences.
There are lots to like, such as performance and predictability. But, people have also found some interesting things on Fast Invest. Read to learn more and what I eventually ended up doing!
What is Fast Invest?
History
Many reviews claim that Fast Invest was founded in 2015 by Simona Vaitkune (LinkedIn). This is not actually true. In fact, Fast Invest was previously known as Big Credit Limited and was founded by Simona's mother, Elena Vaitkuniene, in 2012. The name of the company was changed to Fast Invest Ltd in 2015.
While it is registered in the UK, it actually holds its operations in Lithuania. LinkedIn currently lists 19 people working there, out of the official 24. So, it's not a huge company, but they do have a sizable operation.
According to what they have disclosed, Fast Invest has made a profit already since 2016. Nothing too big, a few thousand pounds, but profit nonetheless.
According to what they have disclosed, Fast Invest has made a profit already since 2016. Nothing too big, a few thousand pounds, but profit nonetheless.
Interest rates of Fast Invest
Fast Invest themself claims they provide loans between 9% to 16%. If you've been following my monthly updates, you'll remember that I've gotten between 11% to 13% as my Internal Return Rate.
If you'd like to test what such rates would mean with your personalized investments, go ahead and try out the Fast Invest interest calculator:
With the 10,000 € I invested, that would yield 100 €/month in passive income. That's a decent amount from my whole portfolio.
If you'd like to test what such rates would mean with your personalized investments, go ahead and try out the Fast Invest interest calculator:
With the 10,000 € I invested, that would yield 100 €/month in passive income. That's a decent amount from my whole portfolio.
Fast Invest buyback guarantee
Fast Invest has a full buyback guarantee. Here's what the contract says:
If at any time the Borrower is late on a scheduled payment by 3 or more days, the Assignor shall cover all the late payments by paying the Assignee an amount equivalent to the late instalments.
Looking at my expected and received interests, they match 100%. There is a slot for "lost revenue" in Fast Invest's reporting, but that is empty for me, like it should.
Also, what's interesting is that Fast Invest is the company providing the buyback guarantee (not their loan originators), which makes investment decisions much easier compared to e.g. using Auto Invest on Mintos.
Or does it? How can the platform really provide a buyback guarantee, when they're not even controlling the quality of the loans to the platform? It seems like a risky move to make, one that could fatal.
Also, what's interesting is that Fast Invest is the company providing the buyback guarantee (not their loan originators), which makes investment decisions much easier compared to e.g. using Auto Invest on Mintos.
Or does it? How can the platform really provide a buyback guarantee, when they're not even controlling the quality of the loans to the platform? It seems like a risky move to make, one that could fatal.
Fast Invest money back guarantee
Some reviews say Fast Invest doesn't have a secondary market. While technically that might be true - you can't sell your loan to another investor - you can still easily get rid of it.
Fast Invest provides a 1-day money back guarantee, which you can invoke at any time, on any single loan. Doing so, Fast Invest will purchase the remaining principal back from you. However, if any interest has been paid on the loan already, it will be forfeited (basically deducted from the remaining principal).
I eventually used this and sold my 10,000 € portfolio back. It took some clicking, but the money was instantly on my account. It worked, sure, but I have to wonder what would happen if a larger amount of investors did the same, simulatenously.
I eventually used this and sold my 10,000 € portfolio back. It took some clicking, but the money was instantly on my account. It worked, sure, but I have to wonder what would happen if a larger amount of investors did the same, simulatenously.
Pre-funded, skin-in-the-game
What's nice to hear is that all loans are pre-funded, meaning someone has already had to make the decision to finance the loan application. You as an investor don't need to care too much about that.
And yet, there's always at least 5% skin in the game left with the original loan originator. For as long as the interest payments are the main source of income to the loan originator, this should mean they have exactly the same financial interest to provide profitable, financially sound loans.
How to use Fast Invest
Sign up on Fast Invest
Signing up on Fast Invest is quite simple:
- Head over to https://www.fastinvest.com/
- Click on Invest and choose the type of your account. Most likely Private.
- Provide your details
- Once your account is created, you will need to add funds.
- Also, Fast Invest will need you to upload a photo of your passport for identification.
That's all. You're all set!
Investing on Fast Invest
The interface of Fast Invest is super simple. It's way better than Mintos. It's even better than Bondora. Only RoboCash and Swaper come close, since their operations are so ridiculously simple.
The easiest way is to set up an auto invest portfolio. You can choose between Beginner, Professional and Expert. (Sorry by the way, I've had to Google Translate my user interface, since I cannot change it to English 🤷).
I don't understand why anyone would choose any of these given options.
What I did is I went with the Custom Portfolio option and set my own parameters. Here are the main points in my opinion:
- Total amount of investments: how large do you want to allow your portfolio to grow?
- Maximum investmetn per single loan: since Fast Invest covers for credit risk, I don't care about diversification, so I am going to set this to a large number.
- Interest rate: is there a minimum interest rate you're willing to invest for? I don't see why I'd want to cap the maximum.
- Months: How valuable is liquidity to you, considering there is also the MoneyBack guarantee?
Fast Invest risks
Liquidity risk
About all of my capital is in 12 month loans. A decent amount of my capital is returned if I just deactivate my auto invest portfolio. The whole portfolio is returned to me in a year.
Compared to services such as Bondora, this is significantly better, but a lot slower when compared to e.g. Swaper or RoboCash, which have even just 30 day loans.
But if you truly need money quick, you can use the money back guarantee and sell back your loans. In the most typical situation, this will cost you about half of your interest, so about 6%.
Compared to services such as Bondora, this is significantly better, but a lot slower when compared to e.g. Swaper or RoboCash, which have even just 30 day loans.
But if you truly need money quick, you can use the money back guarantee and sell back your loans. In the most typical situation, this will cost you about half of your interest, so about 6%.
Credit risk
Since Fast Invest has a buyback guarantee, credit risk isn't very high (assuming platform risk doesn't materialize, more on that in a bit). Fast Invest takes on all the credit risk themself.
Platform risk
At times, when a platform brokers loans from multiple loan originators to investors, the loan originators are the ones providing the buyback guarantee. This is the case at Mintos, for example. This way the platform doesn't take on credit risk
However, on Fast Invest, they are the one providing the buyback guarantee. What this means is that for as long as things go well, financially for the platform, you should be in the clear.
Key individuals could also get into legal trouble (see next chapter), but I don't see how this would hurt investors, unless money had been embezzled out and it actually no longer existed. 🤔 A couple months back I don't think I would have even entertained this idea, but now... who knows?
Overall, platform risk is the most significant risk there is for Fast Invest, since they have decided to carry also the credit risk, and since there is some controversy around the platform.
However, on Fast Invest, they are the one providing the buyback guarantee. What this means is that for as long as things go well, financially for the platform, you should be in the clear.
Key individuals could also get into legal trouble (see next chapter), but I don't see how this would hurt investors, unless money had been embezzled out and it actually no longer existed. 🤔 A couple months back I don't think I would have even entertained this idea, but now... who knows?
Overall, platform risk is the most significant risk there is for Fast Invest, since they have decided to carry also the credit risk, and since there is some controversy around the platform.
Fraud
When you trust other people with your money, there's always a chance for fraud. In the case of Fast Invest, the concern is with the founders. Read below.
Controversy around Fast Invest
There are a couple of points people draw most often attention to when questioning Fast Invest. One's got to do with the loan originators the company hasn't fully disclosed (yet). The other's got to do with Simona's and the company's background.
Fast Invest loan originators
The reason Fast Invest has not disclosed more about their loan originators has said to be that the contracts they have with them prevents that. At least two names are known: one revealed recently, "eCommerce 2020", which is a Danish loan originator, and the Russian Kviku. According to Simona, all the contracts are due to be re-negotiated still this year and disclosing their names would happen after.
The non-transparency of loan originators has raised concerns about the level of risk on the platform. Are the loans from actually reputable sources? It seems also that Simona is the CEO of a loan company called BC Finance, located within an earshot from Fast Invest offices. BC Finance used to employ as many as 8 people, but only 3 are left. The turnover of the company seems too low to be of any real significance. Some have suggested that perhaps it is a loan originator for Fast Invest, but I seriously doubt that. It could have been an idea, to become one eventually, but I find it unlikely that this would be the case now. And even if it was, is that a problem?
The non-transparency of loan originators has raised concerns about the level of risk on the platform. Are the loans from actually reputable sources? It seems also that Simona is the CEO of a loan company called BC Finance, located within an earshot from Fast Invest offices. BC Finance used to employ as many as 8 people, but only 3 are left. The turnover of the company seems too low to be of any real significance. Some have suggested that perhaps it is a loan originator for Fast Invest, but I seriously doubt that. It could have been an idea, to become one eventually, but I find it unlikely that this would be the case now. And even if it was, is that a problem?
Background of Simona and Fast Invest
Simona Vaitkune is linked to a failed credit union "Taupkase" that is suspected of practicing rather interesting money moves. While Simona is trying to take distance from what happened in Taupkase, she was a member of the union's credit committee when they voted to pay massive bonuses to themselves - bonuses the union clearly could not afford. This decision was later overturned and is now under criminal investigation. It is unclear whether Simona could be prosecuted for this or not.
Fast Invest used to be called Big Credit and was indeed founded by Simona's mother Elena Vaitkuniene in 2012. A gentleman called Sergej Ščerbakov used to be the director of that company until the company was renamed to Fast Invest Ltd and Simona was appointed as the new director in the end of 2015. Sergej Ščerbakov also is tied to Taupkase and sat on the same credit commitee. When Simona has been pointed out that the company wasn't in fact founded by her in 2015, she has said she has bought Big Credit Limited, because it "was easier" and it already "had a good reputation and history in UK".
There are way too many illogicalities in this story that I am almost certain there's something embarrassing about the truth at least.
Fast Invest used to be called Big Credit and was indeed founded by Simona's mother Elena Vaitkuniene in 2012. A gentleman called Sergej Ščerbakov used to be the director of that company until the company was renamed to Fast Invest Ltd and Simona was appointed as the new director in the end of 2015. Sergej Ščerbakov also is tied to Taupkase and sat on the same credit commitee. When Simona has been pointed out that the company wasn't in fact founded by her in 2015, she has said she has bought Big Credit Limited, because it "was easier" and it already "had a good reputation and history in UK".
There are way too many illogicalities in this story that I am almost certain there's something embarrassing about the truth at least.
Full disclosure and final words
I have invested 10,000 € on Fast Invest and I have got 11%-13% return on my capital so far.
My feelings about Fast Invest are quite controversial. On one hand, there're some juicy stories around Fast Invest that cast some doubts on it. Fast Invest certainly isn't for the faint-hearted! Not being transparent about loan originators like the other platforms are is certainly an issue to many, and why wouldn't it be: it makes it impossible to determine the overall risk.
My feelings about Fast Invest are quite controversial. On one hand, there're some juicy stories around Fast Invest that cast some doubts on it. Fast Invest certainly isn't for the faint-hearted! Not being transparent about loan originators like the other platforms are is certainly an issue to many, and why wouldn't it be: it makes it impossible to determine the overall risk.
On the other hand though, the operation seems quite sophisticated. It would be difficult to create a full fledged front like that, if there was foul play, especially as there is such a large team behind the product, willing to put their names and faces up. There are also easier ways to create outright scams. If I was employed to a company that had such controversy, I'd be absolutely sure to get to the bottom of everything. And I believe they have, and they're still sticking around.
Peer lending industry is having a huge boom, which has led to some platforms being completely overwhelmed with the supply of money. This doesn't seem to be the case for Fast Invest. It could be that investors are more wary about Fast Invest than they are about Swaper or Mintos for example, and therefore they could have a more balanced supply of loans.
For me, Fast Invest has worked extremely well and in a predictable manner. I've been especially glad there's been no cash drag, like on so many other similar platforms nowadays. However, due to the rather interesting background of people associated with Fast Invest and the fact that we don't know the loan originators, I'm giving 2 stars to Fast Invest ⭐⭐.
I've also sold almost all of my loans.
Peer lending industry in Europe is starting to smell, and there seem to be an increasing amount of people who don't like Fast Invest. In a more positive environment, I would not be too concerned to stick around. If the fear spreads, I feel Fast Invest could be next to get the heat. Since my loans have been quite long (10 months +) they haven't accrued a lot of interest yet. At this point, I can still sell back my loans without a huge cost. I might keep a smaller stake just for the sake of it.
I'll be looking at Mintos, RoboCash, Swaper and Viventor as the place to move my consumer loans.
If you decide to invest in Fast Invest though, by signing up with my affiliate link you support my blog If Fast Invest isn't your cup of tea, perhaps you will find something from these:
For me, Fast Invest has worked extremely well and in a predictable manner. I've been especially glad there's been no cash drag, like on so many other similar platforms nowadays. However, due to the rather interesting background of people associated with Fast Invest and the fact that we don't know the loan originators, I'm giving 2 stars to Fast Invest ⭐⭐.
I've also sold almost all of my loans.
Peer lending industry in Europe is starting to smell, and there seem to be an increasing amount of people who don't like Fast Invest. In a more positive environment, I would not be too concerned to stick around. If the fear spreads, I feel Fast Invest could be next to get the heat. Since my loans have been quite long (10 months +) they haven't accrued a lot of interest yet. At this point, I can still sell back my loans without a huge cost. I might keep a smaller stake just for the sake of it.
I'll be looking at Mintos, RoboCash, Swaper and Viventor as the place to move my consumer loans.
If you decide to invest in Fast Invest though, by signing up with my affiliate link you support my blog If Fast Invest isn't your cup of tea, perhaps you will find something from these:
- Mintos review: 11% peer lending return with no risk?
- RoboCash review: The easiest peer lending platform in Europe
- Swaper review: My experiences after investing over 35,000€
- Grupeer review: Crowdlending with 13% interest and full buyback guarantee
Are you on Fast Invest? What do you think of them?
