Crowdfunding in Latvia: Market Overview for Platforms

The crowdfunding market in Latvia is very well developed. On CrowdSpace only, you can find 11 platforms that focus on P2P lending and Equity crowdfunding. These platforms provide fundraising services for both startups and real estate so that every investor can find a project of his preference.

Many platforms have a “Verified” badge which means that they actively conduct marketing campaigns and take care of their reputation and prestige. They must be among the most attractive crowdfunding platforms in Latvia. So, if you want to join the party and enter the Latvian crowdfunding market, then let’s review the key points you need to keep in mind.

Crowdfunding regulation in Latvia

The crowdfunding service framework in Latvia is covered by Regulation (EU) 2020/1503. The regulation that entered in force on November 10, 2021, specifies requirements for platforms and campaigns, determines parties, explains limitations and all other aspects of performing crowdfunding activities. 

According to the EU crowdfunding regulation Latvia, crowdfunding services may be provided only by a legal entity that has obtained authorization granted by the Financial and Capital Market Commission (the FCMC). The process of obtaining the authorization consists of the following stages.

Preparatory stage

The platform presents a business plan with information about the services, customers, and areas of operation, and provides information on shareholders and officials of the enterprise. At this stage, the platform also provides information about the origin of funds. 

Once the needed documents are received, the FCMC informs the applicant about the receipt, reviews and assesses them, and verifies their compliance for the further process of getting the authorization.

Documentation preparation and advising by the FCMC are free of charge at this stage.

Application submission and its pre-examination

The platform submits a complete application with the necessary documents.

The FCMC examines the application and the attached set of documents. If there are any shortcomings, the crowdfunding platform in Latvia addresses them and resubmits the documents to the FCMC to verify their completeness. In the end, the FCMC sends a notification about the start of the crowdfunding platform’s application assessment.

The entire process may take up to 25 working days. When submitting the documents for the assessment, a crowdfunding platform pays 2,500 Euro for examining the documents.

Application assessment 

The FCMC assesses the submitted documents. If any additional documents or information is needed, the FCMC informs the platform and organizes a meeting or sends a letter with details. This procedure is repeated if more shortcomings or inconsistencies are discovered during the assessment procedure. No additional costs are paid at this stage.

Decision making

When the documentation assessment is finalized, the FCMC decides whether to issue the authorization, whether there are any conditions for issuing it, or whether the platform is denied the authorization. No costs are applied at this stage.

Upon the receipt of the authorization, the platform can commence providing the services.

Supervision

Upon providing the authorization, the FCMC supervises the activities of the platform. The platform provides reports and notifies the FCMC about any changes in the procedures of services provision, etc. The company pays 4,000 Euro per year and up to 1,4% of gross revenue, but not more than 100,000 Euro per year.

How much does it cost to register a platform in Latvia?

Registration costs are just 2,500 Euro. But to receive the authorization, a platform shall own at least 25,000 Euro or insurance policy, or the combination of its own funds and insurance policy. Ongoing costs are also incurred.

Even though all platforms are required to get a crowdfunding license in Latvia to provide the services, the quality of services varies from one platform to another. Before investing in any project, it is recommended to check all details including the platform’s reputation, rates, etc.

Idustry-leading crowdfunding bloggers in Latvia

Crowdfunding platform directories and crowdfunding bloggers in Latvia can provide you with accurate data about different crowdfunding services such as:

• User reviews
• Rating
• Industries in which the platform provides its services
• Minimum investment
• Registration, and similar.

They can also become a great source of marketing your own crowdfunding platform, you’re planning to start your alternative crowdfunding business in Latvia.

Among all the crowdfunding bloggers in Latvia, the following ones are the most popular and provide more accurate information.

P2P Empire

P2P Empire strives to provide the most accurate reviews on platforms. P2P empire claims that their content is not sponsored by anyone nor do they conclude special deals with platforms to boost their reputation artificially. Before a review is published, they perform thorough research to ensure they provide investors with valuable and objective information.

CrowdSpace

CrowdSpace is a listing platform that provides you with the most detailed information on crowdfunding platforms. There, you can check the industries in which the service works, the crowdfunding flows it supports, the minimum investment sum, etc. Numerous filters allow you to narrow your search to specific requests. 

BrikApp

BrikApp is another listing platform where users can read a crowdinvesting service’s detailed review and get information about the platform’s experience, the minimum investment, the type of investors who can participate in the offerings, etc. 

Most popular crowdfunding platforms in Latvia

The most popular platforms are those that market their services actively and are trusted by customers: investors and fundraisers. Based on the platform’s ratings and reviews, the following ones are among the leaders.

Fintelum

Fintelum supports alternative investments in primary and secondary markets. Investors all around the globe can participate in offerings placed on the platform. Both cryptocurrency (BTC, ETH) and fiat (EUR) investments are possible. 

CrowdedHero

This equity crowdinvesting platform aims to make investment services accessible to anybody. CrowdedHero supports fundraising campaigns for both startups and mature companies. With a minimum investment of 100 Euro, one can invest in real estate, green energy, SME, or farming. 

Lande

Lande.finance focuses on sustainable agriculture projects. With as little as 50 Euro, you can diversify your portfolio with secured agricultural loans on a P2P basis. 

Bulkestate

This real-estate crowdfunding and group-buying platform enables its users to invest in real estate crowdfunding projects and buy real estate at reduced prices.

DoFinance

Another peer-to-peer lending platform that offers a fully automated investing experience. For now, the loss of investors’ funds is zero which is impressive indeed.

How to start your crowdfunding platform in Latvia

Developing a platform from scratch is an expensive and time-demanding process. A white-label solution from LenderKit can speed up your platform development and time-to-market while reducing the related costs. 

The white-label crowdfunding software in Latvia offered by LenderKit comes with a set of out-of-the-box features that enable your platform to function immediately after the launch and customize them for your brand and business needs.