How people use bitcoin (BTC)-backed loans beyond trading

SALT, which began offering bitcoin-backed loans in 2016, initially catered to bitcoin miners—the entities that verify transactions on the blockchain in return for BTC rewards. More recently, however, the lender has seen an influx of institutional borrowers, alongside “Gen Xers and baby boomers who own bitcoin and want help understanding the loan process.”

While SALT did not disclose its total historical loan volume, the broader centralized lending market is posting massive figures.

Centralized lender Ledn, which debuted in 2018, has funded more than $11 billion in loans to date. The company expects that figure to grow to $1 trillion in the coming years as more clients opt for non-trading loans.

Ledn’s lending activity and growing borrower base also point to the increasing mainstream adoption of crypto-backed loans.

“Our borrowers range from traditional investors seeking to get more from their bitcoin position, to entrepreneurs who want to access working capital, to institutional players,” Adam Reeds, co-founder and CEO of Ledn, told CoinDesk.

He explained that Ledn’s private wealth clients borrow large amounts for “larger tickets such as investments, real estate, their businesses or their children’s education.”

Retail clients, meanwhile, pull smaller amounts for near-term needs, like covering a month of expenses when primary income falls short.