Top 25 Peer to Peer Startups to Watch in 2026
The peer to peer model connects individuals directly, cutting out traditional middlemen. This approach is being used in many sectors, from finance and crypto to transportation and fashion.
Companies like Zopa have raised significant capital, with $1.2 billion in funding for its lending platform. Others, such as Turo, apply the model to different areas like car sharing, having raised over $570 million.
Below is our list of 25 Peer to Peer startups worth keeping an eye on.
Failory's Top 10 Picks
Mutuum operates a decentralized, non-custodial liquidity protocol where users can lend, borrow, or liquidate digital assets. The platform facilitates peer-to-peer transactions on the blockchain, enabling participants to earn interest or access capital without traditional intermediaries.
| Headquarters | |
| Year Founded | — |
| Founders | — |
| Funding Amount | $16.7M |
| Startup Size | — |
| Last Funding Status | Initial Coin Offering |
| Top Investors | — |
Beehive operates a peer-to-peer lending platform that connects businesses seeking finance with investors. Their marketplace is designed to build mutually beneficial partnerships, giving companies access to growth capital and investors a way to support regional enterprises.
| Headquarters | Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Year Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | Craig Moore |
| Funding Amount | $151.6M |
| Startup Size | Mid-Size Team (51-250) |
| Last Funding Status | Debt Financing |
| Top Investors | Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Riyad TAQNIA Fund (RTF), Dubai SME, Magellan Capital |
Zopa runs a digital bank that gives customers access to personal loans, credit cards, and savings accounts. They first gained recognition for creating one of the world's first peer-to-peer lending marketplaces.
| Headquarters | London, England, United Kingdom |
| Year Founded | 2005 |
| Founders | Dave Nicholson, Giles Andrews, James Alexander, Richard Duvall, Tim Parlett |
| Funding Amount | $1.2B |
| Startup Size | Large Team (251-1,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Debt Financing |
| Top Investors | Bessemer Venture Partners, Northzone, Benchmark, JP Morgan Chase, SoftBank Vision Fund |
BitPay provides enterprise-grade payment solutions for businesses looking to accept bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Their platform manages the entire transaction process, allowing merchants to receive direct bank settlements without handling the crypto themselves.
| Headquarters | Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Year Founded | 2011 |
| Founders | Anthony Gallippi, Stephen Pair |
| Funding Amount | $114.3M |
| Startup Size | Mid-Size Team (51-250) |
| Last Funding Status | Series B |
| Top Investors | Menlo Ventures, Founders Fund, Index Ventures, Aquiline Capital Partners, Bossa Invest |
Turo built a peer-to-peer car-sharing marketplace that lets customers book vehicles directly from a community of local hosts. The platform gives renters access to a diverse selection of cars and provides owners with a way to earn money from their assets.
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California, United States |
| Year Founded | 2009 |
| Founders | Nabeel Al-Kady, Shelby Clark, Tara Reeves |
| Funding Amount | $570.1M |
| Startup Size | Large Team (251-1,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Secondary Market |
| Top Investors | G Squared, Kleiner Perkins, Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Canaan Partners, 137 Ventures |
Finery Markets operates a multi-dealer electronic marketplace for institutional participants in the crypto markets. They provide a suite of trading solutions to help institutions manage digital assets and navigate market risk.
| Headquarters | Limassol, Limassol, Cyprus |
| Year Founded | 2019 |
| Founders | Ilia Drozdov, Konstantin Shulga |
| Funding Amount | $5.5M |
| Startup Size | Lean Team (11-50) |
| Last Funding Status | Seed |
| Top Investors | gumi Cryptos Capital (gCC), APA Venture Partners, Unlimit, Floating Point Group, Shima Capital |
Pickle runs a peer-to-peer marketplace where users can rent trendy outfits from others in their local community. The platform is designed to make fashion more sustainable and accessible by connecting closets within the same neighborhood.
| Headquarters | New York, New York, United States |
| Year Founded | 2021 |
| Founders | Brian McMahon, Julia O'Mara |
| Funding Amount | $20M |
| Startup Size | Lean Team (11-50) |
| Last Funding Status | Series A |
| Top Investors | Craft Ventures, FJ Labs, FirstMark, Burst Capital |
Skillshare has built an online learning community focused on project-based classes for creative and curious people. The platform is recognized for its vast library of on-demand video lessons taught by practicing experts in fields like design, photography, and freelancing.
| Headquarters | New York, New York, United States |
| Year Founded | 2010 |
| Founders | Malcolm Ong |
| Funding Amount | $136.8M |
| Startup Size | Mid-Size Team (51-250) |
| Last Funding Status | Private Equity |
| Top Investors | BoxGroup, Founder Collective, Union Square Ventures, SV Angel, Collaborative Fund |
Estateguru operates a real estate financing and investment platform, making property-backed loans attainable for retail investors. Their marketplace connects vetted property developers seeking funding with a global community of investors.
| Headquarters | Tallinn, Harjumaa, Estonia |
| Year Founded | 2013 |
| Founders | Julian J. Kaljuvee, Kaspar Kaljuvee, Marek Partel |
| Funding Amount | €12.7M |
| Startup Size | Mid-Size Team (51-250) |
| Last Funding Status | Undisclosed |
| Top Investors | Speedinvest, Verve Ventures, Startup Wise Guys, Pario Ventures, TMT Investments |
Primex Finance is building a decentralized prime brokerage protocol that connects lenders, traders, and market makers. Their cross-chain platform enables spot margin trading with a CEX-like feel, allowing traders to access leverage and lenders to earn yield on their deposits.
| Headquarters | Tallinn, Harjumaa, Estonia |
| Year Founded | 2021 |
| Founders | Dmitry Tolok, Vlad Kostanda |
| Funding Amount | $5.7M |
| Startup Size | Lean Team (11-50) |
| Last Funding Status | Seed |
| Top Investors | CoinFund, GSR, GoldenTree Asset Management, Mask Network, LedgerPrime |
15 Additional Peer to Peer Startups Worth Following
The top 10 are just a small part of the story. Many other companies are making their mark, particularly in fintech, and have collectively raised over $650 million.
Some are just getting started while others are already growing quickly. Here is a look at the other startups shaping the peer-to-peer space.
| Startup | Main Industry | Year Founded | Amount Raised | Last Funding Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 CapBay | Fintech | 2016 | $27.6M | Corporate Round |
 LenDenClub | Fintech | 2015 | $11.6M | Series A |
 Hive | Cloud | 2021 | €24.3M | Series A |
 CanYa | Crypto | 2015 | $13.5M | Initial Coin Offering |
 RaiseNow | Nonprofit | 2015 | $6M | Series A |
 Brainly | Media | 2009 | €148.5M | Series D |
 Finexkap | Fintech | 2012 | $58M | Venture Round |
 Raqamyah Debt Crowdfunding | Fintech | 2018 | $6.9M | Series A |
 Swiftcourt | Enterprise | 2016 | $3.5M | Seed |
 Drivemate | Mobility | 2016 | $2.2M | Series A |
 Tuandaiwang | Fintech | 2012 | CN¥2.4B | Private Equity |
 Virtue Poker | Crypto | 2016 | $5M | Venture Round |
 GiveAway | Marketplace | 2019 | $630k | Pre-Seed |
 Camptoo | Travel | 2014 | €1.4M | Equity Crowdfunding |
 DoFinance | Fintech | 2016 | €2M | Seed |
