Markets Wired

Technology experts, consumer advocates, and industry and government representatives will be part of the Federal Trade Commission’s first FinTech Forum event examining marketplace lending and its impact on consumers, taking place June 9.

FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez will give opening remarks at the event, which is designed to bring together perspectives from across the landscape of this growing sector.

The half-day event will feature two panel discussions. The first panel will explore the current state of marketplace lending and its implications for consumers, and will include representatives from the Treasury Department, U.S. PIRG, Lend Academy, and the Center for Financial Services Innovation. The second panel will explore the future of marketplace lending and how best to protect consumers as the market evolves, and will include representatives from the California Department of Business Oversight, George Mason University, the Marketplace Lending Association, and the National Consumer Law Center.

In addition to the panel discussions, the FTC’s Office of Technology Research and Investigation will give a presentation exploring online marketplace lending, including the types of advertisements used and the data collected from consumers.

The event will take place at the FTC’s Constitution Center offices, 400 7^th St SW, Washington, DC, and will begin at 9:30 a.m. and continue until 12:30 p.m. A full schedule and other details on the forum can be found on the event’s webpage. The event is free and open to the public. No pre-registration is needed.

This event is the first in the FTC’s FinTech Forum series, which is part of the FTC’s ongoing work to protect consumers taking advantage of new and emerging financial technology. As technological advances expand the ways consumers can store, share, spend, and borrow money, the FTC is working to keep consumers protected while encouraging innovation for consumers’ benefit.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition, and protect and educate consumers. You can learn more about consumer topics and file a consumer complaint online or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357).  Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, read our blogs and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.