Commercial lending

New York's bank regulator is investigating LendingClub Corp. over loans issued to consumers and its relationships with financial institutions, saddling the embattled company with another probe after its chief executive was forced to resign earlier this month.

Following the scandal-tinged departure of CEO Renaud Laplanche, the company is contemplating drastic steps to restore the confidence of loan buyers. Scenarios that would have been far-fetched a short time ago — such as diluting shareholders and funding loans off its own balance sheet — are now under consideration.

Prosper Marketplace Inc. has met with investors including Fortress Investment Group about potential capital injections, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

LendingClub Corp., which plunged 51 percent last week after the surprise departure of its leader and disclosure of faulty internal controls, said the scandal is prompting investors to suspend debt purchases and spurring government probes.

Too many fintech companies are selling superficial products. Entrepreneurs need to start solving hard problems and offering real value.

BancAlliance, a network of community banks that has been snapping up loans from LendingClub, is weighing whether to suspend purchases on the online platform after the company said it's overhauling internal controls.

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The disruption of the taxi industry caused by Uber and Lyft continues to hurt banks that finance taxi medallions. Anticipating more chargeoffs to come, these banks are aggressively boosting their reserves, restructuring delinquent loans and reselling or leasing out foreclosed medallions.

Digital upstarts that seemed on top of the world a few months ago have suffered a series of setbacks of late that raise questions about their long-term survival. Here's a look at the developments that have brought some once-high-flying online lenders back to earth.

Say what you will about these companies' longevity, were it not for the likes of Lending Club you wouldn't see banks like Wells Fargo introducing expedited loan products.

First Connecticut Bancorp in Farmington has committed to making $5 million in small-business loans over the next year.

Questions swirling around LendingClub's leadership shakeup this week are threatening to compound a concern already weighing on its stock: Will investors keep snapping up its loans?

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon said marketplace lenders might find that sources of funding evaporate during a downturn.

Key factors point to marketplace lenders rebounding from their recent setbacks and continuing their growth.

In the weeks leading up to the resignation of LendingClub's chief executive officer, investment bank Jefferies Group asked the company to bolster its disclosures to borrowers, people with knowledge of the matter said.

Industry representatives swiftly rejected the Treasury Department's assertion that new legislation is needed to protect small-business owners.

If alternative small-business lenders don't get engaged in the regulatory dialogue, they risk letting a few bad apples determine their fate.

Wells Fargo is starting a program to offer small businesses online loans in as soon as one day, targeting territory occupied by On Deck and LendingClub.

The Treasury Department on Tuesday capped off a nearly yearlong inquiry into the burgeoning marketplace lending industry with a policy paper that recommends increased transparency and customer protections while also highlighting the sector's potential for expanding credit access.

It is imperative for regulators and lawmakers to approach the online small business loan market with care and an understanding of how these lenders expand access to credit.