🌟 Why US and European P2P lending cannot be compared?

To make a long story short, we've chosen two different paths.

In 2008, the US SEC applied a law written for stocks and bonds to a product it was never designed for. Retail investors lost access to the asset class and never got it back.

Europe chose differently. Retail P2P lending was the original goal, and everything else was built accordingly.

🌟 We broke down the full regulatory history, the institutional takeover, and what the European framework looks like in practice.

🌟 Read the full piece on Medium

🌟 Many investors watch where the market is heading and actually know nothing about it

Because the market growth cannot show you all the things you need to take into consideration.

It usually goes like this. Every quarter a new report drops: "Private credit market to reach $2.8T by 2030."
Investors read it and double down.

If you’re doing the same, hold on.

🌟 The CAGR you’ve read about measures loan volume, platform count, total AUM, but not your return. It doesn’t measure how much investors earn.

🌟 A high CAGR often signals future yield compression. More capital flows in, platforms compete harder, and rates compress.

🌟 How about volatility? CAGR hides it. A market drops 40%, recovers, climbs — the report says "18% over 5 years." The investor who entered at the wrong time lived a completely different story.

🌟 What to check instead:

🌟 Net yield after fees

🌟 Deposit & investment growth month by month

🌟 Funded projects and interest paid

🌟 Default rates and recovery rates

🌟 Secondary market liquidity

These numbers are about your money. Always check them before you commit.

Find them in the Maclear’s actual stats

🌟 Our MAJOR milestone giveaway is coming to its end soon!

We’re currently at €97M in total funded, and the finish line is right around the corner.

Once we officially reach €100,000,000, the giveaway ends and winners will be announced.

If you haven’t joined yet, or want to boost your chances, now is the time.

🌟 What prizes are waiting for you to win?

We’re celebrating BIG and giving out 100 prizes in total.

🥇1st place — €500
🥈 2nd place — €300
🥉 3rd place — €200

• 4th–10th — 3% APR bonus voucher
• 11th–50th — 2% APR bonus voucher
• 51st–100th — 1.5% APR bonus voucher

🌟 How to join?

It’s simple: invest in open projects and earn tickets. One ticket = one chance to win. The more tickets, the more chances.

🌟 Invest from €300 in a single project and get 1 ticket (counted automatically)

🌟 Every additional €300 in a project => +1 ticket (no cap applied)

🌟 Refer a friend who signs up via your link => +1 ticket (message support with your MC number to claim)

🌟 Only Primary Market investments of €300+ per project count. Splitting amounts across projects doesn't qualify.

Winners are selected via randomiser.

🌟 Secure your tickets now

🌟 Most people who read about investing still don’t invest. They’re not even close to starting

The problem is, knowing a lot doesn’t push you towards your goals, especially financial ones. Money is one of those topics people rarely talk about openly. Still a taboo, in many ways.

This very mindset affects one’s starting point. People think that they are not smart enough, not earning enough, not disciplined enough. But you don’t need to be the smartest in the room to get started 🌟

In fact, the process builds up as you go. Once you start, decisions follow. You gain experience, knowledge, and more control over your finances.

🌟 James Clear breaks this down to the basics in Atomic Habits — exactly what we covered in today's LinkedIn post.

🌟 Read the full piece and follow Maclear on Linkedln. We cover topics that matter for investors and those just getting started.

🌟 What’ve been introduced so far, and why it’s worth giving 8lends a try

For those considering crypto investing and wanting to diversify the smart way

🌟 Watch the intro video first

A short step-by-step walkthrough — registration, wallet setup, and your first investment on 8lends. The fastest way to see how simple it actually is.

✔️ Watch on YouTube

🌟 Step-by-step beginner's guide

A full walkthrough — from zero crypto experience to your first investment. Written specifically for Maclear investors. It covers Binance setup, buying USDC, MetaMask installation, and getting started on 8lends.

✔️ How to invest on 8lends: beginner's guide

🌟 MetaMask + Base Network: a dedicated guide

The most common technical blocker was switching to Base network. We have a separate guide that walks you through this step with screenshots — adding Base, importing USDC, connecting to 8lends.

✔️ How to set up MetaMask for 8lends

🌟 Skip the full KYC — use our fast-track form

Already verified on Maclear? We’ve created a dedicated Google Form so you don’t have to go through the full process again. Takes just a few minutes.

✔️ Complete the form here

🌟 Free Web3 course

A clear intro to how crypto works and how to invest with confidence. Complete it and get a bonus on your first investment. Now updated.

✔️ Free course by Maclear & 8lends

🌟 A few more things

8lends was never meant to replace Maclear. It runs on separate infrastructure, managed by a separate team.

Your Maclear portfolio stays exactly as it is. 8lends is for those who want to go further.

If you get stuck at any step, DM @daniel_8lends.

🌟 Maclear in numbers | April wrapped up

April was quite an eventful month for Maclear — we’re approaching €100M in total funded, rolling out the Advanced Crypto Course, and updating the FAQ on the platform.

We’re glad you were with us this month.

Some key numbers:

🌟 €8,653,538 deployed into projects across 7 countries

🌟 2,836 active investors on the platform

🌟 €5,694,277 in total deposits

The full breakdown is now live in our April investor report. READ HERE 🌟

🌟 A friendly reminder: our Major Milestone Giveaway is closing soon. We’re already at €99,3M+. Don’t miss your chance to win!

🌟 The only thing between you and a costly mistake is one extra check

American musician Garrett Dutton lost 6 BTC (~$420,000) to a drainer. He downloaded a fake Ledger app from the AppStore assuming it was the real one, entered his seed phrase, and the funds were gone.

Today’s scammers are getting better. Cloned websites, fake apps, familiar tone, and usernames one character off from the real thing. The goal is always the same: get you to act before you think.

So here are the basics worth repeating:

🌟 Always verify

• Who's writing — cross-check the username against the official list below

• Never follow links or download files from unverified sources

• Never share passwords, seed phrases, verification codes, or personal data

• If a message pushes urgency — that's the tactic. Stop and check.

🌟 Two official websites only

• maclear.ch
• 8lends.io

🌟 Our support team — 5 people

Maclear:
• @john_maclear
• @thomas_maclear
• @wenzel_maclear

8lends:
• @daniel_8lends
• @ceviz1389

Anyone else claiming to represent Maclear or 8lends is not connected to us, no matter how professional they sound.

🌟 Our support team never messages you first on Telegram

If someone reaches out claiming to be Maclear or 8lends support, don't respond.

Check twice and stay safe.

🌟 WE DID IT — €100,000,000 total funded!

Maclear has officially crossed the €100M milestone.

🌟 Today we have two reasons to celebrate:

🌟 The growth of our platform and the first €100 million raised to support SMEs across Europe and beyond.

🌟 The results of our Giveaway, where we gave out 100 prizes to 100 investors.

Winners were selected randomly.

🌟 GIVEAWAY WINNERS

🥇 1st place — €500
MC34435

🥈 2nd place — €300
MC3686

🥉 3rd place — €200
MC34384

If you're one of the top 3 winners, please contact our support team to claim your prize.

3% APR Bonus Voucher (4th–10th place)

MC18189 · MC4170 · MC22402 · MC37868 · MC881 · MC3433 · MC2710

2% APR Bonus Voucher (11th–50th place)

MC399 · MC19540 · MC20671 · MC5000 · MC38286 · MC23439 · MC4411 · MC35923 · MC5421 · MC35443 · MC15975 · MC8930 · MC552 · MC35510 · MC37571 · MC41253 · MC38280 · MC40595 · MC21025 · MC35165 · MC3836 · MC33640 · MC40910 · MC35885 · MC26013 · MC39887 · MC40901 · MC5621 · MC3044 · MC5902 · MC39416 · MC38327 · MC37353 · MC14761 · MC8315 · MC36757 · MC40862 · MC35685 · MC25972 · MC39854

1.5% APR Bonus Voucher (51st–100th place)

MC12716 · MC4499 · MC41616 · MC5684 · MC6197 · MC21204 · MC32762 · MC37363 · MC13382 · MC13410 · MC4251 · MC41324 · MC4964 · MC8383 · MC5052 · MC16150 · MC15477 · MC1042 · MC1954 · MC39422 · MC13056 · MC36363 · MC4068 · MC21514 · MC1152 · MC3651 · MC36045 · MC35787 · MC40585 · MC22511 · MC828 · MC35218 · MC41490 · MC4896 · MC37486 · MC3282 · MC2684 · MC5149 · MC40386 · MC6502 · MC24872 · MC34576 · MC39203 · MC4296 · MC36753 · MC23219 · MC35201 · MC16961 · MC38307 · MC36829

🌟 See your MC number above? Congratulations — your voucher details (places 4–100) will be sent to your registered email within the day. Keep an eye on your inbox, it will arrive as a separate message.

Thank you for being part of this milestone. Here's to the next €100M — and beyond!

— The Maclear Team

🌟 8lends: why it matters for your portfolio

For those already familiar with the basics, the fuller picture

🌟 The yield is higher — here’s why

8lends operates globally, with no banks involved at any point. No wire delays, no conversion fees, no intermediaries taking a cut. That operational efficiency flows directly into investor returns, which is where the 18–25% APR comes from.

Same due diligence by Maclear AG, same collateral-backed loans, and a broader reach.

🌟 Every transaction is on-chain

Your investment, every interest payment, the return of your principal — all publicly visible on Base network. Verifiable by anyone, at any time.

🌟 Buyback Guarantee — on select projects

On certain loans, if a payment is delayed beyond 60 days, a partner repurchases your loan and returns 100% of your principal. All interest earned before the delay stays with you.

🌟 Look for the Buyback label when browsing projects.

🌟 Crypto taxes: how to handle them

Although we can't give you tax advice, 8lends’ve partnered with Blockpit — a tax calculator trusted by 350,000+ users across Europe. It connects to your wallet and generates a ready-to-file report for 100+ countries, including Spain, France, Austria, Germany, Portugal.

✔️ “How do I pay taxes?”

🌟 Two platforms, separate infrastructure

Maclear and 8lends are managed by separate teams and run on separate infrastructure. Maclear AG oversees the due diligence on both, but a problem on one platform does not automatically affect the other. They’re designed to complement each other.

🌟 How investors are combining them

A common approach: keep the core portfolio in Maclear and allocate a portion to 8lends for higher yield and geographic diversification. Start small (100 USDC minimum) and scale as you get comfortable.

Any questions left? Reach out to @daniel_8lends.