CapitalRise

CapitalRise is a UK financial-technology platform that provides direct lending and investment opportunities in prime residential and commercial property projects in London and the Home Counties. It was founded in 2016 by Uma Rajah, Alex Michelin and Andrew Dunn and positions itself as a way for qualified investors to access institutional-grade real estate debt previously available mainly to large institutions.

Michelin and Dunn previously co-founded Finchatton, a luxury property developer, which provides the founders' background in property development. Since launch, the platform has originated more than £588 million in property loans and supported property values exceeding £1.27 billion. CapitalRise reports no investment losses or defaults to date, although past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.

CapitalRise lists property loans on the platform and, for each project, establishes a ring-fenced subsidiary company (SPV) that issues bonds to investors corresponding to the secured loan. Loans are typically secured by first or second legal charges on the underlying property, and the platform reports a typical average LTV around the mid-60s (reported average LTV 66%), with senior loans up to c.60% LTV and mezzanine loans at higher levels.

The platform uses pre-funders to provide immediate capital to borrowers prior to replacement by platform investors. Repayments and legal processes are managed via solicitors and custodians. Because CapitalRise predominantly funds development loans, interest is typically capitalised and paid at maturity rather than distributed as regular income.

CapitalRise offers fixed-rate, secured property bonds tied to specific loans. The minimum investment per project is £1,000. Target returns are typically cited between 7% and 12% p.a., with a historical average return of 8.86% p.a. since launch (to January 2026).

The platform offers an Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA) wrapper, launched in 2017, for eligible investors. A secondary market — the Bulletin Board — allows investors to offer holdings for sale; the platform charges a 1.5% fee on the current value of a successful sale. Liquidity via the secondary market is not guaranteed.

CapitalRise is aimed at investors who meet FCA investor-category definitions: self-certified Sophisticated Investors, High Net Worth Individuals, or Professional Clients. A UK bank account is required; some non-UK residents may be eligible subject to additional checks and jurisdictional limits.

The investments are illiquid and capital is at risk. The secondary market does not guarantee an exit, so investors should be prepared to hold loans to term. Given the concentrated nature of the loans — focused on prime London and Home Counties property — building a fully diversified portfolio solely on the CapitalRise platform may be challenging. These investments are not suitable for all investors.

As of January 2026, CapitalRise reports the following platform performance: total originated £588m; supported property value £1.273bn; total repaid £320m; historical average return 8.86% p.a.; and no investment losses or defaults reported to date.

Average loan term is reported at 16–17 months and average targeted returns per project are reported between 7% and 12% p.a. (fixed rate), depending on project risk. These figures reflect reported platform data and past performance only — they are not a guarantee of future outcomes.

CapitalRise accepts investors who fall into FCA-defined categories (Self-Certified Sophisticated, High Net Worth, Professional). However, the platform's full FCA registration number (FRN) and legal entity name were not confirmed in the latest research. The absence of an FRN in the research materials should not be taken as confirmation of non-authorisation — further checks with the FCA Register are recommended for verification.

The bonds issued by CapitalRise are classified as Speculative Illiquid Securities (SIS), often referred to as mini-bonds. These fall into the non-mass market investment category under the FCA's financial promotion rules.