An Empirical Study of Lenders’ Perception of Chinese Online Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Lending Platforms

Abstract

Online peer-to-peer (P2P) lending volume has rapidly increased in China because of high financing and investment demands. However, high borrowing default and fraud rates have negatively affected Chinese online P2P lending because of its unique financial and undeveloped credit systems. They have prompted the Chinese government to issue regulations on Internet finance behavior to support online P2P lending. This research investigates online P2P lenders’ investment perceptions to understand investment intention related to online P2P lending. The research model is based on planned behavior theory. A questionnaire on attitudes collected data from voluntary participants; the data were analyzed with confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The findings show that lenders’ attitudes, behavioral controls, and subjective norms—and those three constructs’ antecedents, except relative advantages—have a positive and significant influence on lenders’ online P2P lending intentions. <b>TOPICS:</b>Fixed income and structured finance, credit risk management, emerging markets <b>Key Findings</b> ▪ Online peer-to-peer (P2P) lending volume has rapidly increased in China because of high financing and investment demands. ▪ High borrowing default and fraud rates have negatively affected Chinese online P2P lending because of its unique financial and undeveloped credit systems and have prompted the Chinese government to issue regulations on Internet finance behavior to support online P2P lending. ▪ The results indicate that lenders’ attitudes, behavioral controls, subjective norms, and those three constructs’ antecedents, except relative advantages, have a positive and significant influence on lenders’ online P2P lending intentions.