Is my money protected on Maclear? An honest answer about investor protection
06/24/2026
4 min
Maclear does not guarantee the return of capital as crowdlending carries risk. What Maclear provides is a layered set of protective mechanisms: collateralized loans, the Provision Fund, and a structured recovery process if a borrower defaults or delays payments. Every project undergoes due diligence before listing.
How investor funds are structured on Maclear
Maclear AG does not hold investor funds permanently. Deposits are consolidated during the fundraising period and transferred directly to the borrower once the target loan amount is reached. During that window, funds are stored in segregated escrow accounts managed by partner banks, not in Maclear's operational accounts.
When an investor clicks "Invest," they enter into a Claim Purchase and Assignment Agreement. Under this structure, the legal ownership of the loan claim belongs to the investor. Maclear acts as Collection Agent and Collateral Agent, managing repayments and enforcing security on investors' behalf.
What the Provision Fund covers
The Provision Fund is funded by 2% of each project that reaches full funding. It is designed to cover interest payments during temporary borrower delays and it does not guarantee capital repayment.
If a borrower misses interest payments by more than 3 days, Maclear continues paying investors from the Provision Fund while investigating the delay. This continues through any soft collection process. The Provision Fund does not guarantee the return of principal in a default scenario — that recovery depends on collateral enforcement and legal proceedings.
The Provision Fund balance is publicly displayed on the platform and is included in Maclear's audited annual financial statements. Audits are conducted by Grant Thornton AG.
What happens if a borrower defaults
Maclear follows a defined escalation process:
Day 3+: Provision Fund covers interest payments. Maclear investigates.
Day 30+: Soft debt collection begins. Interest payments continue from the Provision Fund.
Day 60+: Maclear initiates legal proceedings and begins collateral enforcement as Collateral Agent.
Day 90+: Reverse Assignment of Claims is activated — Maclear becomes the primary creditor, consolidates enforcement, and distributes recovered funds to investors proportionally.
Maclear has had one default case in its history — Vibroedil. It was resolved through a settlement agreement. The Provision Fund was not used in that case, and investors received 100% of their initial investments.
Does Maclear guarantee that I will get my money back?
No. Crowdlending is not a deposit product and does not carry a state guarantee. Maclear's protective mechanisms — collateral, the Provision Fund, and recovery procedures — significantly reduce the likelihood of loss, but cannot eliminate it. If you invest, there is a possibility you may not receive full repayment of principal in a worst-case scenario.
Are my funds separated from Maclear's own money?
Yes. Investor funds are held in segregated escrow accounts managed by partner banks, not in Maclear AG's operating accounts. Maclear processes investor funds only for the duration of the fundraising period. All fund handling is governed by the Payment Processing / Deposit Agreement between the investor and Maclear AG acting as Payment Agent.
What if Maclear itself goes out of business?
The loan claims belong to investors, not to Maclear. The underlying loan agreements and claim assignment documents remain legally valid regardless of Maclear AG's operational status. For the full scenario covering platform closure, see Article.
Crowdlending involves risk, including the possible loss of capital. Past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Invest only what you can afford to lose.
Maclear AG, registered in Switzerland, member of PolyReg SRO, a self-regulatory organization supervised by FINMA.