What is 8lends: how it differs from Maclear and why use both platforms

8lends is a Web3 crowdlending platform built by the founders of Maclear AG, launched on 3 March 2025. It operates on the Base blockchain, uses USDC for all settlements, and offers returns of 19–25% APR. Both platforms fund real small and medium-sized businesses but operate through separate legal and technical infrastructure.

Are 8lends and Maclear owned by the same company?

8lends was created by the same founders — Denis Ustjev and Alexander Lang — who built Maclear AG. The two platforms share the same lending philosophy, borrower due diligence standards, and senior team, but operate through separate legal entities.

Maclear AG (Basel, Switzerland) acts as the independent Collateral Agent for 8lends, managing borrower vetting, collateral structuring, and recovery in the event of default. It is a member of PolyReg SRO supervised by FINMA.

Alpha Systems LLC (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) is the operational entity that runs the 8lends platform, develops the Web3 infrastructure, and deploys the smart contracts on Base.

How does 8lends differ from Maclear?

The core model is the same on both platforms: investors lend to vetted SMEs with real collateral and receive fixed interest. The differences are in the operational layer:

— Currency: Maclear operates in EUR via bank transfer. 8lends operates in USDC on the Base blockchain.

— Returns: Maclear offers 14–16% APR, up to 16.5% with loyalty bonuses. 8lends offers 19–25% APR.

— Access: Maclear is designed for European investors with SEPA bank accounts. 8lends is accessible to investors globally, without requiring local banking infrastructure.

— Infrastructure: Maclear uses a standard web platform. 8lends uses smart contracts on Base

— terms are immutable once set and repayments are processed automatically on-chain.

— Minimum investment: €50 on Maclear, 100 USDC on 8lends.

Borrower vetting, risk scoring, and collateral management are handled by the same team at Maclear AG for both platforms.

Why use both platforms?

For Maclear investors, 8lends provides a second income stream in a different currency and asset class without switching to an unrelated service. Using both platforms allows investors to hold EUR-denominated loans and USD-denominated loans on-chain — each with independent repayment schedules and compounding potential.

Investors who have already completed KYC on Maclear can transfer their verification to 8lends without repeating the process. A transfer form is available — see Article.

Maclear AG, registered in Switzerland, member of PolyReg SRO, a self-regulatory organization supervised by FINMA.