Corporate bonded loans are an exciting alternative to pure loans and bonds for both SMEs and investors. Invented in Germany a long time ago and increasingly spreading throughout Europe, the ‘Schuldschein’ is classified as a bilateral loan, whereby the loan agreement also serves as a certificate of debt, providing legal proof in court. But there's more: The agreement is not a security within the meaning of MiFID or other regulations which avoids high complexity due to prospectus requirements and rating costs. Plus, you don't have to deal with lengthy contracts and covenants that are typical for loans. Not to mention the long prep time. This flexibility makes the bonded loan an appealing instrument on the international capital market – and, due to the comparatively low costs, even for smaller volumes. Since it does not require time-consuming and costly documentation, the bonded loan is perfectly suited for a disruptive, highly standardized, digital emission process managed by Fintechs. Listen in to what a seasoned expert of a marketplace lender from Germany has to say about this segment. Are there any nasty pitfalls after all? Where lie the biggest opportunities? What is the status of digitization? How does the bonded loan perform compared to bonds and loans? Folks, in this episode, we take a look at the future of SME financing in Europe. Join the show! **Speaker: ** Christoph Steinbrich, Managing Director @ DEBTVISION **Host:** Constantin Fabricius, Managing Director @ DLA **Please note:**  The content of this podcast is expressly not to be considered investment advice, but is intended solely for your information.  Subscribe to stay updated on new episodes! Follow us on LinkedIn: https://de.linkedin.com/company/digital-lending-association Digital Lending Summit 2025: https://www.finfellas.com/frankfurt-2025