This report analyses the potential of the marketplace lending (MPL) model of online credit intermediation to finance small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on a large scale, including the evolution of this model, its comparative advantage to banks and its benefits to borrowers, investors/funders and the market for SME financing. It also covers the risks this model presents, and limitations to its growth. Given the use of FinTechs to facilitate government support to SMEs throughout the COVID-19 crisis, the report analyses the involvement of MPL and FinTech lenders in the roll-out of government guaranteed loans in certain jurisdictions and the learnings from this experience. It then examines the benefits and limitations to their participation and derives lessons for future crisis support programmes.