Barclays Buys Best Egg to Crack US Consumer Loan Market

Core Insights - Barclays U.S. Consumer Bank is acquiring personal loan platform Best Egg for $800 million, expected to close in Q2 of next year [2] - The acquisition aims to enhance Barclays' capabilities in personal lending and strengthen its position in the U.S. consumer finance market [2][3] - Best Egg has originated over $40 billion in personal loans since its inception in 2013, focusing on prime borrowers, with over $7 billion expected in loan originations this year [2] Company Strategy - The acquisition will complement Barclays' existing credit card business, which provides unsecured personal lending through co-brand partnerships [3] - It will enhance USCB's digital and risk capabilities, allowing for more efficient deployment of lending capacity and capital [3] Market Context - The U.S. consumer finance market presents significant growth opportunities, as highlighted by Barclays CEO C.S. Venkatakrishnan [2] - The deal follows Barclays' sale of its American Airlines co-brand credit card portfolio to Citigroup, indicating a strategic shift towards strengthening its consumer lending operations [3]