Last week marked the first ever-initial public offering for an online lending platform when LendingClub raised nearly $870 million in its IPO.  LendingClub was priced at $15 per share but opened the day on the NYSE well above that at $24.75 per share before closing the day at $23.43 thus implying a company valuation of $8.9 Billion.  This valuation exceeds the valuation of some of the largest banks in the country including Comerica CMA -0.73%, City National CYN -1.44% and CIT Group CIT +1.06% and marks the 18th largest IPO of the year.  And just days later, OnDeck, the leading online lending platform for small businesses, debut its own IPO raising $200 Million at a valuation of $1.3 Billion.  LendingClub’s IPO appeared to have rubbed off as OnDeck ’s share price soared by as much as 40% on opening day.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/navathwal/2014/12/18/lendingclub-ondeck-ipos-billion-dollar-valuations-are-just-the-beginning-for-the-online-lending-market/