The current increase in popularity of debt instrument stems from the recent financial crisis, which saw many smaller companies unable to raise capital from banks. Instead, some turned to equity crowdfunding to raise funds, while others began to offer debt instruments directly to the public.
Given the current poor rate of return on savings, many investors have welcomed the opportunities that debt instruments present. The promised returns are usually considerably more than those offered by a standard bank or building society savings account. Plus, some companies offer innovative ways to pay returns to their customers – Hotel Chocolat’s return included monthly chocolate box selections for investors.