Vivus Mexico is the latest loan originator to start listing loans on Income. We had a quick chat with their experienced CEO to learn more about Vivus’s business and its direction.
Vivus is currently listing loans that yield up to 12% per annum, so don’t forget to update your auto-invest to catch this opportunity.
1) Can you please briefly introduce yourself and tell a bit about Vivus MX´s business idea and how it was founded?
Hi! I have been working in Fintech for more than seven years worldwide within the same group of companies. Before moving to Mexico, I managed products and risks in the United States and handled the CEO position in the Asia-Pacific region. Vivus Mexico is a well-established SOFOM licensing lender and part of Digital Finance International. DFI is a global leader in digital lending operating in 23 markets with consumer finance products.
2) What is Vivus MX´s strategy for the coming years? Have you planned any new initiatives? Do you have a vision for the future?
Our strategy is always targeting growth and profit. As you see from our presentations, the strategy has been successful as we are actively growing and keeping the profit. We aim to effectively fill our customer’s financing needs, constantly launching new products. We recently launched credit cards, another underserved segment of financial products in Mexico.
3) What do you think the future of non-bank lending looks like? Which challenges and/or opportunities do you see for the industry in the coming years?
LATAM and Mexico particularly bring great opportunities for non-bank lending: favorable regulation, access to credit information, a substantial underserved segment of the population without banking products, a stable economy, and a high proportion of mobile-only young people. I see many different products and players entering the market, and also the government is creating a fintech framework for neo-banks. There will be massive development of hybrid corporations in the near future: banks working with fintech (as it’s happening in the USA) and fintech being embedded indifferent online services (like mercadolibre). Regarding challenges, Mexico is not so different, as in every market and business, the more efficient and more intelligence you use, the better your performance.
4) You’ve decided to list your loans on Income, what are the main benefits of this and how would you describe the cooperation?
We like companies with fast-growing partners and already see the benefits. We are raising funds to support growth and diversify the source of capital for the Vivus portfolio. We also see future cooperation opportunities for other products we will be launching.
5) How do you see the role of marketplaces as a source of funding for Vivus MX now and in the future?
As I see in different businesses, you need to keep the core functions that bring a competitive advantage in-house. The rest should be outsourced from other companies, and the funding function is one that can be done by marketplaces better than could be done in-house. This is why I expect marketplaces will grow and offer us more options to diversify funding sources and keep us growing.
6) How do you feel you are changing the world with your company’s mission?
Fintechs, particularly our kind whose primary focus is loans, supports many people in solving financial issues. Especially in emerging markets fintechs are solving the issue of financial inclusion instead of banks. Not all borrowers are the same, so we are constantly thinking and developing a product range that can cover demand from the whole market.
7) What are the pros and cons of marketplaces as a source of funding compared to other sources of funding for non-bank lenders such as Vivus MX?
The marketplace is fast to run; high technology integration allows it to be faster. Traditional capital sources are more “old school.” It’s like comparing what to choose: still, go to the open market to do the groceries there or use an app to order a delivery to home.
8) Is there anything you’d like to say to Income´s investors?
First of all, I would like to thank everyone who has invested in our loans and helped us grow our business. We are a very transparent company for any feedback and communication. We would be delighted to interact with the investors even more. Maybe one-day Income will organise a conference where we can share more details about the company and our operations. Meanwhile, we keep sharing updates on our business with the investors. I welcome everyone to invest in Vivus MX loans and participate in our growth journey in Mexico.
