As investors seek to diversify their portfolio exposures beyond traditional assets, alternative lending may offer attractive absolute and risk-adjusted return characteristics. Alternative Lending (also referred to as marketplace lending, peer-to-peer lending and P2P lending) takes place through online platforms that use technology to bring together borrowers underserved by traditional lending institutions with loan investors seeking attractive yield-generating investments. Credit risks underwritten by alternative lenders have expanded over time beyond unsecured consumer, to include small business, autos, commercial and residential real estate, receivables, student loans, and other forms of specialty finance.