Since February this year, the portfolio of time deposits in banks has grown by almost 1.5 billion euros, or 40 percent. In June alone, this portfolio increased by 315 million. Lithuanians' love for deposits is significant and despite the bumps along the way, it seems to remain steadfast. There are quite a few reasons for this, one being deposit insurance. All deposits in Lithuania are insured and protected, though "only" up to 100 thousand euros.

Today we are pleased to introduce a novelty – from now on, for some of the loans, we will offer investment portfolio protection up to 500 euros. Some loans will be marked with the FinoMark BuyBack logo, and by investing in such loans, clients will receive additional assurance regarding the protection of these investments. In this way, even those people who have been hesitant to try investing can now do so by investing in crowdfunding loans for businesses.

Today we face extremely high inflation, which reaches as much as 21.7%. Moreover, with the European Central Bank having raised base interest rates to control inflation, not only housing but also business loans have become more expensive. However, one should not think of the worst-case scenario. On the contrary, in some cases, this may be one of the more favorable periods to "grow" a business.

Observing the stagnating global and Lithuanian economic situation, economists no longer doubt – a recession will not bypass our country. Rising price spikes scare not only residents but also become a headache for businesses – those who planned to take out loans for expansion now doubt whether the investments would not be swallowed by the crisis. Business loan expert Emilija Poškonienė comments on how it is better to act – to proceed with planned decisions and seek financing, or to wait.

Deciding to grow your business brings new challenges – where to get the money needed for expansion? Successfully developing operations, it's likely that the company will already have a substantial financial reserve, part of which can be used for investments, but for businesses that have only recently entered the market, the only option remains to look for other financial sources. Indeed, even if there is an opportunity to invest in business expansion oneself, it is not always the most cost-effective option. The head of the business loans department at the crowdfunding platform 'FinoMark' advises on how companies should decide – to invest or borrow.

From now on, investors on the 'FinoMark' platform can invest in business loans not only manually but also automatically. Automatic investing is a feature that allows investors to automatically invest in loans as soon as they appear on the exchange and meet the investor's pre-set criteria.

How to ensure smooth company operations and growth? Should you invest in advertising or production? What to do when there are insufficient funds to improve certain areas? When it's barely possible to keep up with current concerns, it's natural that many opportunities in the environment, which likely could help solve existing business problems, are often overlooked or unknown. What are these opportunities and where can they be found?

For those who own or are considering starting their own business – financing it raises many questions for most: where to start? Where to turn? What should you pay attention to when choosing among several financiers? According to a survey of Lithuanian residents, the two main criteria by which respondents would choose a business loan provider are the interest rate and the reputation of the financial institution. Are these criteria really the most important and what else should be considered? An representative from the crowdfunding platform 'FinoMark' shares advice.

Gražvydas Balčas, CEO of "FinoMark," spoke at the "My Investment" conference about how to become an investor in 20 minutes. He highlighted three popular ways to invest in business: brokers and funds, personal investments, and platforms. "Each of these options is a valid way to start investing, but it's very important to understand their differences and the challenges you will face," says Balčas.

A relatively new but rapidly growing investment method in Lithuania through crowdfunding platforms is attracting increasing attention from investors. The "FinoMark" platform, which launched more than half a year ago, is steadily growing its base of companies seeking support and investors willing to finance their loans. According to platform representatives, a careful approach and continuous improvement of services to fully satisfy both sides of the clientele will lead to the growth of this new form of investment in the future. So what makes crowdfunding so attractive?