Markets Wired

The Federal Trade Commission will host a forum on June 9 exploring the growing world of marketplace lending and its implications for consumers. This forum is the first in a series of FTC events looking at consumer protection across different areas of emerging financial technology.

Marketplace lending is a developing and fast-growing sector offering new ways for many consumers and small businesses to secure credit. Marketplace lenders are typically online financial platforms that leverage technology to reach potential borrowers, evaluate creditworthiness, and facilitate loans.

The half-day forum will bring together marketplace lending industry participants, consumer groups, researchers, and government representatives. The forum will examine the various models used by companies in this area, the potential benefits to consumers, and possible consumer protection concerns. In addition, the forum will look at how existing consumer protection laws might apply to companies participating in the marketplace lending space.

The forum will be held at the FTC’s Constitution Center offices at 400 7^th Street SW, Washington, DC, beginning at 9:30 a.m. A full agenda for the forum will be available closer to the event.

Topics and dates for additional financial technology forum events will be announced shortly.

The FinTech Forum series is part of the FTC’s ongoing work to protect consumers taking advantage of new and emerging financial technology, also known as FinTech. 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.