The Global Status of the Crowdfunding Industry

The chapter presents key international trends relating to crowdfunding market development, and also provides insights into the current research available attempting to explain such developments. Facts and figures from leading national and regional markets are presented in a comparative manner, with specific focus on the diversity of crowdfunding models, growth trajectories, and geographical variations. The chapter shows that crowdfunding is no longer a fringe activity but gradually moving mainstream with substantial volumes recorded nationally, regionally, and globally. Furthermore, we illustrate the dominance of crowd-lending models across regions, as well as their sub-model variations within regions. Overall, we demonstrate that the level of economic development, the appropriateness of regulation, as well as the advancement of IT infrastructure are all key determinants for the development of crowdfunding markets. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of some implications for research and practice.