One Loan, Endless Impact: IndiaP2P Building Brighter Futures

Across much of rural India, access to finance is still limited. It is especially difficult for women, who frequently experience restrictions in attempting to obtain loans or financial assistance. Consequently, numerous people who have good ideas or entrepreneurial promise are unable to get the resources they need to develop and maintain their ventures.

IndiaP2P is one of the sites that is trying to bridge this gap. It is a peer-to-peer (P2P) lending website, where people can directly invest in the borrowers without going through the services of banks. Investors are repaid on their investments, and borrowers, who in large numbers are rural women, can access much-needed credit.

As per its FY 2024-25 Annual Social Impact Report, IndiaP2P increased its reach to more than 50 places spread over 31 districts. The platform witnessed a 3.8 times growth in borrowers during the year, led by women. The report draws attention to how this credit access is not merely being utilized for personal development but also for creating employment and enhancing household financial security.

A significant feature of IndiaP2P's strategy is the focus on lending to women in low-income regions. During FY25, 78% of the loans were lent to women, and most of them are operating small, home-based enterprises. These borrowers have a good record of repayment and, often, perform above expectations.

The platform also reports that nearly 75% of the loans are applied for business purposes. Although most of the loans fall under ₹2 lakh, they are essentially catering to a vital need that larger financial institutions usually tend to ignore, lending small, unsecured loans to informal sector workers or women lacking formal credit history. Borrowers on average possess a minimum of five years of business experience and a credit score of 747.

IndiaP2P's business does not depend on charity or aid. Rather, it offers creditworthy loans based on creditworthiness, and it treats its borrowers as entrepreneurs who can meaningfully contribute to their neighbourhoods. This is a testament to the power of financial inclusion in fostering grassroots economic growth.

Though the scale is yet to increase, the model does give a glimpse into how financial services can be made specifically available to segments of population that are normally cut off from formal credit systems. By making direct lending possible to people specifically rural women, IndiaP2P is becoming a part of larger financial inclusion, gender equality, and decentralized lending discourse in India.