easyMoney

easyMoney is the trading name of E-Money Capital Ltd, a UK firm directly authorised and regulated by the FCA under Firm Reference Number 231680. The corporate entity has held FCA authorisation since 17 June 2004; the easyMoney peer-to-peer property-lending platform was relaunched under current ownership in 2018 and forms part of the easy® family of brands.

So what? The corporate authorisation date (2004) is not the same as the platform launch (2018). Authorisation confirms ongoing regulatory oversight of the firm, but the 2018 relaunch is the relevant date when assessing the platform's public track record and operating history with retail investors.

easyMoney matches retail investors with short-term property-backed loans originated by professional borrowers (developers and property investors). Investors complete identity checks and an investor appropriateness test, fund the account by bank transfer, and either select between account tiers or use auto-invest to diversify across loans. Loans are secured by a legal charge on the underlying UK property; repayments are collected by easyMoney and interest is credited monthly.

A secondary market exists for selling loan parts; the platform reports average sell-down times of under 24 hours, but notes instant access is not guaranteed and depends on finding a buyer.

So what? Security by legal charge and monthly cashflow influence recovery prospects and income timing. The secondary market can improve liquidity, but it is conditional on buyer availability — withdrawals can be delayed in stressed markets.

Primary products are property-backed P2P investments available in a Regular Investment Account and an Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA). Published target rates are tiered by investment size — for example, the Premium account from £100 targets c.5.4–5.7% p.a., with higher tiers (Premium Plus, High Net Worth, Professional) targeting higher rates and carrying larger minimums. The platform states there are no fees to invest or withdraw, and interest is paid monthly with the option to reinvest.

So what? The IFISA wrapper allows tax-free interest within the ISA allowance, which matters to UK taxpayers assessing after-tax returns. Published rates are targets, not guarantees, and actual paid rates can fall due to cash drag or portfolio composition.

easyMoney is aimed at UK retail investors prepared to accept higher risk than cash savings in return for potentially higher yields via short-term property-backed loans. Entry-level access begins at £100, with higher tiers for HNW and professional investors. All investors must pass an appropriateness assessment, and the FCA's guidance on P2P suggests many retail customers should consider keeping exposure to no more than c.10% of net investable assets.

So what? This product is not a savings account: capital is at risk, investments are not FSCS-protected, and liquidity depends on loan-level cashflows and secondary-market demand — facts that materially affect suitability for conservative savers.

Strengths. Direct FCA authorisation (FRN 231680) — the firm holds its own permissions and is individually accountable to the FCA rather than acting as an Appointed Representative. Property-secured lending with legal charges can improve recovery prospects relative to unsecured P2P. The stated no-fee model lowers a direct cost friction on net returns.

Risks. No FSCS protection on investments. Target rates are not guaranteed; historic delivery has varied with cash drag and portfolio composition. Liquidity via the secondary market is conditional on buyer demand, even though typical sell-downs are reported as fast. The widely-marketed "zero capital loss" claim since the 2018 relaunch is a self-reported platform metric — it should not be treated as proof that losses cannot occur in future cycles, particularly through a property downturn.

Brand confusion. Unrelated unauthorised businesses using similar names (e.g. "Easy Money Finance", "Easy Money Loan") have been the subject of FCA warnings. Investors should confirm FRN 231680 on the FCA register when researching the firm.

Self-reported metrics. Claims such as "£0 investor losses", milestone figures and consecutive IFISA award wins are presented on the platform but are self-reported; independent corroboration is advisable before treating them as verified endorsements.

Wind-down arrangements. The platform references a wind-down plan and a back-up servicer. These protect operational continuity if the firm ceases to trade but do not insure investors against credit losses on underlying loans.

So what? Practical due diligence here means validating regulatory status on the FCA register, treating performance claims as historical and self-reported, and understanding that operational protections are not capital guarantees.